We found better sleep through white noise
Illustration by Marina Marinina
by Summer Tao
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My girlfriend and I have long-running relationships with insomnia and anxiety. It’s a lethal combination that doesn’t lend itself to a good night’s rest. When she moved into my apartment, she was relieved to learn that I worked hard to make it snooze-worthy. Sound-resistant windows, blackout curtains, and silk pillowcases were my norm. Over time, we’ve added a humidifier, down pillows, and several plush toys. To an insomniac, every hour of sleep is worth fighting for.
All of these efforts constitute sleep hygiene. Dr. Avigail Lev, a clinical psychologist, calls it “habits and behaviors that promote a healthy relationship with sleep, creating a routine that helps ensure a better night's rest.”
These adjustments were a great start, but falling asleep wasn’t always easy. We’re both sensitive to noise. I’m a shifty sleeper and she needs stillness. The plumbing gurgles intermittently. Drunk students use our street to reach the 24-hour gas station. We needed another solution.
The paradox of noise and sleep
When we’re asleep, our brain maintains a baseline level of alertness. Even occasional noise can change the quality of our sleep. Sharp or unfamiliar sounds can instantly wake us. The dissatisfaction is doubled for light sleepers and those who have difficulty resuming sleep.
When we think of sleep aids, noise is rarely the first choice. However, not all noise is made equal. Sounds that are unexpected or alarming have a deleterious effect on sleep, but stable sounds can have the opposite effect. White, pink, and brown noise are all examples of constant, non-distinct noises that smooth out the average volume inside a room. That way, there’s less contrast between total silence and background noise.
Dr. Alexander Lapa, a psychiatrist, calls white noise, “the amalgamation of all noises that can be registered by the human ear. It can be described as humming or static.” White noise is utterly bland, but it blankets a room. It disrupts other aural interruptions: footsteps, birds, cars, and appliances alike. Once sleepers are used to it, the white noise itself dissolves without a trace.
Marina Marinina
The happy accident of better sleep
Our little household discovered white noise as a sleep aid unexpectedly. During our first summer, we noticed an improvement in sleep when we left the fans on. That domestic experiment carried on in winter when we began running a small fan purely for noise. Any worries about the marginal dent in our electrical bill were quickly squashed by better sleep.
However, sleep hygiene isn’t just applying advice verbatim. It’s about learning the intricacies of how and when you sleep. Everyone’s sleep is as unique as their breathing. So, we experimented with the white noise concept. What if the source was closer to the bed? What if we used different fans to change the volume and pitch? Our at-home sleep experiments are still ongoing, but one thing is certain: our sleep isn’t getting any worse for it.
Finding the perfect racket for you
Marina Marinina
We didn’t exactly discover the effect of white noise on sleep. It’s routine sleep hygiene advice nowadays — from the same aisle as weighted blankets and melatonin. There are numerous suggestions for cultivating your own brand of noisy sleep. These range from apps to white noise machines, which Dr. Lev describes as a machine that “produces a consistent sound that can mask noises from other rooms, as well as external sounds from outside the house.”
There are several ways to get this noise into the bedroom.
Consistently noisy appliances such as fridges, fans, and air conditioners can provide white noise during normal operation.
Dedicated white noise generators are available and offer diverse features. These include adjustable volume, different pitches and soundscapes, timers, and wireless operation.
Sleep apps can turn any device into a white noise generator with room for custom alarms and sleep monitoring — a modern solution for the connected sleeper.
There are also custom soundscapes for rain, thunderstorms, wind, and oceans that can be played from a device or through headphones. These depart the realm of ‘true’ white noise for diverse, but still calming audio.
None of these are one-size-fits-all suggestions. Some of them are unattainable or even downright annoying to certain sleepers. However, the beauty of sleep hygiene is finding something that works for you — and reaping a good night’s rest from it.