What is white noise and how can you use it to sleep better?

Why is good sleep important?

Sleep improves your mood and overall mental health. A good night's sleep also helps with physical recovery, reduces stress and strengthens the immune system. In short, getting enough quality sleep is crucial to your well-being. Physically and mentally. If you don't get enough sleep or if you have trouble falling asleep, white noise can help you improve.

What is white noise?

White noise is sound that is evenly distributed across all frequencies. This means that the volume is the same everywhere, making it very stable and monotonous. You can also compare it to the sound of rain falling, waves hitting the shore or a fan in the bedroom.

White noise is a sound you can use to cover up other sounds. Because the sound is so monotonous, you can more easily ignore other sounds. In this way, you can mask other sounds that might otherwise keep you awake.

This can be especially useful if you live in a noisy environment, such as a busy city, or if you are trying to sleep during the day. White noise can also help mask sounds in the home, such as footsteps or doors slamming.

What are the benefits of white noise?

White noise has many benefits. One of the most important is that it can help you sleep better. White noise can also help you concentrate and focus, and reduce stress and anxiety.

1. Better sleep quality

Research shows that disturbing noises can have a negative impact on the quality of your sleep. White noise can improve the quality and duration of your sleep by obscuring outside noises.

2. Improved concentration and focus

White noise creates an optimal work environment because it masks distracting sounds. Listening to white noise can improve your concentration and focus when working in a noisy environment. In this way, you immediately work a lot more productively.

3. Less stress and anxiety

Everyone can use a little relaxation, and white noise can help. Many people find the buzzing sound of white noise pleasant to listen to - which automatically causes relaxation!

White noise makes it easier to isolate yourself from the rest of the world. This can be especially nice if you are easily overstimulated, or if you are in a noisy environment.

How do you use white noise?

To listen to white noise, you can use a white noise machine or an app. The Meditation Moments app has several white noise tracks you can try out. All you have to do is play the track on your phone.

There are many different types of white noise, so look for one you like. Think of a buzzing fan, a humming air conditioner, as well as nature sounds. You can also adjust the volume and pitch to find a sound that is most relaxing for you.

Just make sure you don't set the sound higher than 50 decibels. If this is not enough for you, you can slowly increase the volume. Always stay under 85 decibels - higher volume can become dangerous after a while.

The Meditation Moments app has several white noise tracks you can try out. That way you can discover for yourself which one you like best!

Make white noise part of your evening routine

You can also make white noise part of your evening routine. For example, listen to white noise while taking a bath or reading a book before going to bed. This way you train your brain that it is time to go to sleep.

Some things you can do to create an evening routine:

• Go to bed at the same time every night.
• Avoid blue light an hour before you go to sleep.
• Be sure to choose activities that are relaxing (read a book, take a hot bath or do a relaxing meditation).
• Don't eat heavy meals right before bed.
• Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before sleeping.

White noise and babies

For babies, it can sometimes be difficult to sleep in complete silence. A buzzing sound in the background can then help. Although white noise has proven to help babies fall asleep faster, there are some consequences to consider. For example, babies may become accustomed to the sound of white noise, making it harder for them to fall asleep in a quiet environment.

Getting a baby to sleep is not always easy. White noise can help with this because of its calming effects. A study from PubMed confirmed this. The study involved 40 newborn babies between 2 and 7 days old. Of these, 80% fell asleep within 5 minutes after listening to white noise. Of the group of babies who did not listen to white noise, only 25% fell asleep within 5 minutes.

Is white noise dangerous for babies?

White noise is not dangerous for babies, provided the volume does not exceed 50 decibels. If a baby is exposed to sound pressure levels that are too high, it can be harmful to the baby's hearing and auditory development. Therefore, be sure to keep the volume below the limit and place the machine at least 200 cm away from the baby.

Listening to white noise is not the solution for all babies. Some simply do not like the sound of white noise to listen to. And others like it so much that they cannot fall asleep without white noise. Therefore, it is recommended to turn off the sound once the baby has fallen asleep.