Is white noise an effective strategy to help people sleep better? Many people around the U.S. use white noise to help them sleep. But does it actually help people sleep? The answer is a resounding yes. White noise is a specific type of sound that uses a combination of all audible frequencies. The sound is very similar to a static television sound and doesn’t change pitch. It can be played from an untuned radio, phone or a television. White noise is appealing to many people because it is a soothing hum that is constant throughout the night, which masks any background sounds. Further research has shown that it can reduce crying in young children, improve focus during work and ease symptoms of ADHD. Aside from better quality sleep, the constant noise helps lull people to sleep. A New York Post survey found that 41 percent of Millennials used white noise to help them fall asleep. 40 percent of Gen Z used white noise to help them fall asleep. White noise can be beneficial for Gen Z because of the constant stimulation from phones and other devices. Because it acts as a stable environment that calms the brain, white noise allows people to decompress slowly and fall into a deep sleep that most sleepers struggle with. Although hearing loss and damage have been associated with white noise, the evidence is inconclusive. Researchers need more information to fully understand the effect of white noise on the human brain. However the positive effects people report about white noise are undeniable and it helps many people get higher quality sleep.

White noise may seem like a harmless tool to improve sleep quality, but what if it has dangerous consequences in the long run? Instead of helping, noise machines could affect physiological development in young children and cause hearing loss at any age.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends that the machines not surpass 85 decibels for eight hours or 82 decibels over 16 hours. Unfortunately, according to the Washington Post, a large number of white noise machines can all easily produce a high enough sound to violate these guidelines. Some could even reach 91 decibels, which can easily result in hearing loss after 30 minutes of exposure.

Children are at higher risk of hearing loss because of their smaller ear canals, so it is crucial that the noise level is at least turned down, or even better, that it is removed. A study in 2021 showed that environmental noise, like white noise, had a significant impact on the behavioral and cognitive development of young children. Another study used animal models to show the negative effect that long exposure to noise has on vocal development and the development of neurons in the auditory processing center, a region of the brain responsible for processing and interpreting sound. Misusing noise during childhood will affect the person for the rest of their life, causing hearing troubles and numerous other developmental issues.

While white noise is introduced as a harmless sleep aid, especially for infants and young children, the potential help does not even come close to outweighing the risk of using these machines. Long-term exposure to noise at high decibels can interfere with critical stages of brain development in young minds and cause hearing loss. As the research highlights the harm of environmental noise, it becomes clear that these devices should be used cautiously, or even completely avoided. Although white noise can be beneficial for sleep quality, the long-term effects outweigh the positives.