A common concern for parents is the safety and efficacy of the white noise machine. What’s it all about? Is it helpful? Is it addictive? When should we turn it on/off? Which one is best? How loud should it be?

When our first baby was born I wrestled with these questions, too. Through research, my training in sleep education, and personal trial and error, I feel confident to advise you on this topic. I hope this will help you rest and feel empowered to decide whether or not white noise is best for your little one.

What’s white noise all about? The theory behind white noise is that it creates an environment where infants/children/adults can sleep soundly without disruption. It also serves as a sleep cue to signal bedtime, and aids in the continuation of sleep if they wake too soon. The familiarity of the sound is helpful when babies have to self-soothe in between sleep cycles.

Is it helpful? Yes, it can definitely be helpful in aiding restorative sleep patterns. Something important to know about using white noise is that it needs to be just that…WHITE noise. Not music, not ocean sounds, not a waterfall, not rain. It must be a continuous, unchanging sound that is soothing and almost unnoticeable once it’s been on for a few minutes. Any sounds that rise and fall, have distinct changes or melodies cause the brain to chase the sounds, pitches and tones. This doesn’t allow the body to truly rest and get the restorative sleep it needs.

When should we turn it on/off? As I mentioned earlier, the sound machine can be an effective sleep cue, so use it to your child’s advantage! If you’re going to use white noise, turn it on at the end of the bedtime routine right before you turn the lights off. This is a cue that even very young babies attach to quickly! Plan to leave it on all night until it’s time to get up for the day, and throughout every nap period. Off when they should be sleeping, on when it’s time to be actively awake.

How loud should it be? Depending on the type of sound machine you purchase, the noise level varies. Some are super loud, while others aren’t loud enough. Consider downloading a decibel meter app (I use Decibel X) so that you can determine exactly how loud you want it to be. You literally open the app, lay it on the crib mattress and watch it measure the decibel levels your baby is exposed to. You want to measure the sound from where the baby sleeps, not right next to the machine for an accurate reading. Personally, I follow the guidelines that state a reading of 50-60 decibels are safe and works well for an infant, and 70 decibels for an older child. Just for your reference, anything over 85 decibels is not permitted in an adult work environment, and normal conversation is about 60 decibels.

Now to the biggest area of concern: Are white noise machines addictive? No. They’re not. Children can develop a preference for them, but an addiction? Negative. When children reach an age where they’re not napping anymore (around 4) it’s a good time to stop using it. At this point they’re old enough to hear a sound from outside their room, recognize it quickly, and return to sleep without a hitch. Their sleep rhythms are also mature enough that they spend more time in a deep sleep state (much like adults) so they won’t wake as easily or frequently to small disruptions.

With all this said, I use sound machines for my own kids. With my first, I noticed a significant difference in his sleep patterns when I used it vs. when I didn’t. This encouraged me to use it for the rest of the crew as they came along! When they were newborns, they were definitely soothed by it because in many ways it echos the sound in the womb. I also love that we don’t have to tiptoe up and down our hallway when the babies are sleeping because I know their sound machines will buffer our footsteps and voices! We travel and go camping a few times a year, and the sound machines help so much in the car when littles need to sleep, and in the tent when the adults want to hang out by the fire while the kids sleep. I’m a huge fan!

The sound machine I prefer as of today is the Lectrofan. It has lots of options for white noise as well as fan sounds. The sound level is ideal and it’s a nice, compact size.  I also love box fans, but they aren’t always the most adaptive or easy to travel with. The Homedics Sound Spa is also one I use (until I can replace them all with Lectrofans!) but they don’t last long. The sound gets crazy and the button gets loose, but for a cheaper option it works well. This one only has one sound option that is ideal for healthy sleep (the “white noise” setting), all of the other ones are just fluff. I don’t own a Dohm, but I’ve worked with many families who do! They are on the quieter side but have a nice, even sound that runs from an actual fan. This is the safest option if you’re worried about the decibels emitted.

I hope this article has been helpful for you! If you have questions/concerns about white noise machines that I didn’t cover, please post them in the comments section. Email me directly at laura@healthyhappysleep.com for more information about working together to help your baby/child sleep well!

All the best,

Laura

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