Does White Noise Improve Sleep?
Photo: Christian Dominigues
Why This Matters
We all want a good night’s sleep because, well, it feels better than a lousy night’s sleep. Plus you can’t leaf through a magazine in a waiting room without reading how essential sleep is to your health.
But sometimes, sleep just isn’t happening, no matter how careful you are about your caffeine consumption during the day and your bedtime routine at night. Could turning on a white noise machine help you sleep a little better?
The Science
Dr. Elizabeth Capezuti, a professor of nursing and gerontology at the City University of New York, analyzed 34 studies on sleep and sound. Although white noise machines have become the default choice for many (myself included), the evidence shows they only work about 1/3 of the time. It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Pink noise, on the other hand, helped improve sleep in 81% of the studies. Although pink noise isn’t as publicized, it’s softer and more natural sounding, with the bass notes turned up and the higher frequencies turned down. Imagine the sound of rain or rustling leaves. It’s like white noise’s calmer cousin.
The only catch is that most of the studies that used pink noise weren’t as rigorous as the studies that used white noise, still leaving room for the skeptics out there to raise an eyebrow.
Key Takeaways
If you’re looking for sounds to help you sleep: Pink noise – such as the sound of rain, waterfalls, or rustling leaves – is probably a better option than white noise.