When my son, now 15, was a baby, he struggled greatly with sleep. The faintest sound, like a creak in the floorboards or the slamming of a bathroom door, would rouse him, leading to demands for breastfeeding, even shortly after a feeding.
One evening, while juggling laundry and my crying infant (before I figured out the convenience of a baby carrier), I noticed that the sound of water filling the washer had lulled him to sleep. I couldn’t believe it—he was finally asleep! I finished my chore, but every time I tried to sneak away, he would wake. That’s when I discovered the magic of white noise for soothing a restless baby.
That night, I shamelessly ran the vacuum cleaner in his room for hours. Miraculously, he slept—so did I. The vacuum could have run until it ceased to exist, and I wouldn’t have minded. The next day, I bought my first white noise machine.
When my daughter arrived four years later, we introduced the sound machine right from the get-go. I even started using one myself. As a light sleeper—especially after becoming a mom—noisy interruptions like the AC switching on or our dog stirring would wake me up. I had come across various articles suggesting that sleep experts recommend avoiding white noise for babies. However, the thought didn’t bother me. Finally, I could walk down the hallway without fear of waking my child with a simple floor creak.
Interestingly, my children and I can fall asleep anywhere—whether camping, in hotels, or at family gatherings—without our trusty waterfall sound. While we prefer to sleep with white noise, we manage fine without it. But is there a risk we might be harming our hearing or causing long-term issues?
What Do the Experts Say?
Dr. Amelia Johnson, a sleep psychologist, advises caution with white noise. “Relying on it too often for sleep can lead your brain to associate sleep solely with that sound, making it hard to sleep without it,” she explains. Some research suggests that white noise may trigger cortisol release, which can affect brain function, emotional control, and memory.
Upon reviewing several studies, I found that many of them do not refer to genuine white noise but rather to inconsistent sounds like traffic or background noise. Experts agree that sound can disrupt sleep and may trigger cortisol release, but what if a consistent sound is utilized to drown out disruptive noises?
Certified pediatric sleep consultant Laura Smith supports the use of specific white noise types. “White noise is calming and monotonous,” she states. “It helps you fall asleep without overstimulating your mind with fluctuating sounds.”
Choosing the Right White Noise
The sound’s monotony is crucial, and avoiding “white noise” that is actually intermittent aligns with Dr. Johnson’s findings. Lullabies can be part of a bedtime ritual but shouldn’t be played continuously while a child is trying to sleep. Laura notes that as long as the volume is kept around 65 decibels, white noise can be both safe and beneficial.
Certified sleep consultant Emily Clark agrees, saying, “White noise not only masks disruptive sounds but also serves as a positive sleep cue, signaling to your body that it’s time to rest.” She emphasizes the importance of keeping sound machines at a low volume and at least six feet away from your child’s head, but she doesn’t worry about dependency. Today’s portable sound machines make it easy to travel with them.
In fact, I once used a white noise app on my phone while staying in a hotel next to a noisy stairwell. Emily recommends white noise for children’s rooms to foster an environment conducive to sleep. “Research indicates that those who sleep with white noise fall asleep faster, enjoy longer sleep, and have better sleep quality than those who don’t,” she adds.
So yes, my kids and I can sleep without a white noise machine—but we prefer not to. And science supports our choice.
For more insights on parenting and sleep, check out this other blog post on home insemination.
Summary
In summary, the use of white noise machines has helped many families, including mine, achieve better sleep. While there are varying opinions among experts, many agree that a consistent white noise can foster a peaceful sleeping environment without significant risks. It’s essential to choose the right type of sound and maintain safe volume levels for the best results.