White noise

This week we’re going to talk all about white noise. 

What exactly is white noise anyway? We use it and talk about it a lot in the baby world, but what is it? For those of you who like to know the nitty-gritties of everything here’s some basic background info. White noise is noise containing all of the different frequencies with equal intensities which make up noise that resembles that of a fan, static from the tv, a loud vacuum an airplane, etc... It’s different than brown, pink blue or grey noise which have different frequencies of different intensities to make up their own noise. Essentially, they can all be helpful in aiding people to sleep. Some people do better with white noise while others prefer louder noise like brown noise or pink noise. 

Let’s get into more about white noise…

Who is white noise for?

Research has shown that Anyone can benefit from white noise. 80% of people (children included) fall asleep within 5 minutes of hearing white noise and it also promotes deeper/longer sleep overall. I highly recommend it for babies and young infants and I always implement it into our sleep routine from day one (we’ll get into why later on in the post).

When can you start using white noise?

White noise is recommended for babies from day one, as it helps them fall asleep and stay asleep. It's generally used for naps and bedtime and you can absolutely start using it right away. It’s also never too late to start using one if you haven’t from the get-go.

What are the Benefits of using white noise?

There are so many benefits to using white noise, and I’ve listed the most common ones below.

1. Helps babies fall asleep and stay asleep
   We know that white noise helps promote longer deeper sleep and helps babies fall asleep faster than without the noise machine.

2. Calms fussy newborns
   Newborns can overtired and overstimulated VERY quickly and white noise is a great way to calm them down instantly. The loud static noise is so calming and a lot of experts will say that to calm a baby you have to make noise louder than a baby’s cry to calm them down. So an initial loud SHHH or whooshing sound is usually enough to calm them almost instantly. It also mimics the sound of the womb, so it is believed that this is one reason newborns love this sound, as it mimics a womb-like environment.

3. Blocks out external noise
   Obviously this is probably the number one reason people use it. It will prevent your baby from being startled awake by sudden or harsh noises.

4. Cues babies for sleep and Helps build a nightly ritual
   Using white noise is a great way to tell your baby what time it is and what to expect next. Using white noise consistently as part of your nightly routine will automatically help put them in a sleepy state and cue the brain for sleep. I highly recommend for this reason alone!

5. Helps relax/calm the brain
   For the highly anxious or restless child, white noise is a great, natural way to calm the brain down. It allows the brain to let go of racing thoughts and helps reduce anxiety. 

Is White noise dangerous/safe?

It’s normal to wonder if it’s safe or harmful for our babies’ precious ears. Is there any research or data that supports this? What’s too loud? Can it be physically too closer to their head?

Here's what we know...

It is documented that excessive exposure to white noise has the potential to cause hearing loss and other adverse health affects in the infant population. Always use good judgement when using white noise and make it at a comfortable sound.

Here are the safety recommendations...

• It's not recommended to go above 50 decibels for babies and 85 for adults.

• The AAP recommend putting the noise machine far enough away from your child's crib so that it's not right next to their head. At least 7 feet away from baby's crib or bed.

• The volume should be below the max level.

Can white noise be addictive?

It can be addictive, but not always...
Listening to and using white noise every night for a continued, extended period of time can make it difficult to sleep without it and cause a sleep dependency. But worry not, white noise is known as a 'harmless addiction' and one that can improve your sleep tremendously. You can always wean yourself or your child off of it if it becomes an issue or if you prefer to stop using it down the line.

It depends on what kind of sleeper you have…
I find that babies, children and adults who are sensitive sleepers in general (sensitive to noise, light, location...) are more prone to becoming dependent on white noise than people who are not sensitive sleepers. So if your little one has a hard time sleeping away from home, when there’s light peaking into the room or when there’s external noises, then they may have difficulty without the noise machine if they are indeed used to it.

Is white noise a sleep crutch?
It can be with prolonged use past the infant/toddler stage. I find that babies in the first couple of years are far less likely to become dependent on white noise than older children and adults with prolonged use. It's more of a helpful tool than a sleep crutch.

Can you wean them off of it?
Yes! You absolutely can. Whenever you are ready or think they don't need it anymore, slowly start turning down the noise level for a few days until it's not on anymore. They likely won't even ask for it! I start doing this with my own babies at around age 2-3 years old.

What about my sensitive sleeper?
For the very sensitive sleeper who really benefits from white noise, we don't want to take this away from him if it truly improves his sleep. I recommend just turning down the noise level a drop and keeping it at a low level instead of turning it off completely.

Was this helpful for you? Let me know!

If you are reading this wishing you could have more time for yourself and wondering how YOU can reap the benefits of sleep training, reach out and send me a message or book a free discovery call so that I can answer all of your questions.