Is listening to white noise really the answer to our insomnia prayers?

With many of us struggling to get a good night’s sleep, it’s no wonder we’re experimenting with sleep aids. Restless writer Lisa Bowman investigates whether playing white noise could be the answer to our prayers. 

Hands up who doesn’t feel like they’re getting enough good quality sleep. If that’s you, you’re probably also struggling with a cocktail of daytime symptoms that make it harder to concentrate, keep your cool and deal with minor stresses.

The NHS recommends adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and research by Mental Health Foundation has revealed that poor sleep leaves 35% of UK adults feeling anxious and 43% of us irritable or angry.

“Undisturbed sleep is important because without it we can become sleep deprived,” explains Sarah Patel, sleep consultant at Teach to Sleep. “That not only affects our emotional wellbeing and ability to function cognitively, but it also reduces our body’s ability to fight infections.”

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“This is because the immune system removes damaged cells during restful sleep and makes antibodies to viruses and germs that we’re exposed to in the day.” 

What is white noise and why might it help with sleep?

White noise is a combination of all the frequencies audible to the human ear – it’s often compared to the sound of TV or radio static. It has the potential to be helpful as a sleep aid in some environments as it can mask the sounds of other noises like a busy road or loud housemates.

“We tend to get used to background noises as long as they’re consistent, which explains why some people can sleep soundly in noisy places,” says sleep therapist Tracy Hannigan. 

“However, our self-protection systems kick in to make us aroused or alert when we hear sounds that we’re not used to.” If you’re a light sleeper or noise sensitive, random noises like upstairs neighbours walking around may well stop you from sleeping. But white noise, Hannigan continues, can create a kind of sound barrier against those disturbing, inconsistent sounds.

It’s also suggested that when used in a daily bedtime routine, white noise can become a cue to your body that it’s time for some shut-eye. Research over the years shows that white noise may be beneficial for sleep, though sample sizes are often small. A 2021 study of 10 participants revealed that white noise significantly improved sleep in people living a noisy, metropolitan area of New York City, while research on 12 teenagers that same year showed that sleep quality improved over 30 days when white noise was played in a student dormitory. 

A 2017 study of eight subjects found that white noise (compared to environmental noise) reduced falling asleep time by around 40%, while research on four ICU patients in 2005 showed that white noise reduced sleep disturbance in a noisy hospital setting.

While all this evidence sounds promising, a 2021 clinical review noted that the quality of current studies is low and shouldn’t be relied on. However, there’s much anecdotal evidence that it works – when I asked friends if they used white noise for sleep, I had an overwhelming number of responses saying that they played it every night with positive results. 

Can other coloured noise improve sleep quality too?

White noise isn’t the only coloured noise that can assist you in sleeping – it all depends on the sounds of your environment.

“Pink noise contains all the spectrum of sounds white noise does, but it sounds lower pitched,” explains Hannigan.

“Brown noise is even deeper sounding. If someone is woken by noises that fall into the lower pitched spectrum of noise, pink or brown noise may help obscure those sounds.”   

Where to find white noise and why the sound of your fan might not work

You can purchase a special white noise machine or simply download an app or play it on YouTube, which are of the same quality as a fancy machine, according to Patel.

I tried the White Noise app for Android, which has a selection of sounds, but as I live in Sri Lanka and already have the sounds of a fan and crickets, I found the additional noise too much. So, do fans and other consistent nighttime sounds count as white noise?

“Technically speaking, a fan probably wouldn’t be ‘white noise’ as it may not have all the frequencies of the audible spectrum,” advises Hannigan.

“However it does create a blanket of sound that would likely block out noises that might otherwise bother you. I’m generally a good sleeper, but on a recent trip to the US, I found all the new noise from crickets absolutely deafening, even though it’s constant. So, it all depends what you’re used to.” 

How long should you play white noise for?

Whether you play coloured noise all night or on a timer depends on what you’re using it for.

“If you’re using white noise to help drown out sounds so you can fall asleep more easily, it can be played on a timer,” advises Hannigan. 

“If you’re having difficulty with waking in the night due to unusual sounds, you could play it all night. The trouble with having it on all night when you only need it to fall asleep is that you could end up being woken by unusual sounds in the future when not using white noise as your body is no longer used to those sounds.” 

If you’re a good sleeper, you’re best off avoiding white noise

“I wouldn’t suggest the use of coloured noise in good sleepers: ‘If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it!’” says Hannigan. 

“Introducing new noise into a place where someone already sleeps well could result in the person being be on high alert as a result of white noise being a novel sound.” 

If you’re having trouble sleeping due to environmental noise, you could also try noise-cancelling earbuds – Flare does a range specially made for sleep, which I used to use when living in a noisy houseshare. In fact, a 2022 study of 36 healthcare shift workers found that noise-masking earbuds may improve perceived sleep quality; however, research on 61 hospital patients in 2021 showed that white noise had more positive effects on sleep quality compared to ear plugs.

“When it comes to white noise or ear plugs to improve sleep, it’s simply a personal preference,” advises Patel.

If you have persistent problems falling or staying asleep, it’s best to speak to your GP. 

For more sleep tips, visit the Strong Women Training Club.

Images: Getty

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