Listening to noise to improve your sleep may seem like a contradiction, but certain sounds can help you drift off quicker and keep you snoozing throughout the night.
Dogs barking, car horns blaring, music roaring from your neighbor’s stereo: Late-night, uncontrollable noises such as these can spell trouble for your sleep schedule, making it difficult to drift off and stay asleep.
But not all sounds are inherently detrimental to your ZZZs, says David Nelson Neubauer, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and sleep medicine expert at Johns Hopkins University. “A static kind of noise can be beneficial for sleep, as it might block out some of those other noises,” he explains. “But there's probably a second factor: A static kind of noise can be relaxing or comforting. When people are getting into bed, there's sort of a ‘sound cocoon’ that these types of noises can give us.” To some people, complete silence can feel deafening, making it difficult to drift off, but a constant monotonous sound can provide some comfort, he adds.
So, which types of noise may be advantageous for sleep? Here’s the breakdown.
The Best Types of Noise for Sleep
When it comes to the best sounds for sleep, white noise is often at the forefront of the conversation. Technically speaking, white noise is a sound that has the same amount of power at any frequency (aka pitch, or the number of times per second a sound pressure wave repeats itself) that humans can hear, says Dr. Neubauer.
However, the term “white noise” is often used generically to describe any type of static sound, he adds. In reality, there are different “colored” noises with slightly different sounds.
- Brown noise (aka red noise): Quickly decreases in power as the frequency increases, creating a low roar.
- Pink noise: Gradually decreases in power as the frequency increases, resulting in a soft, deep sound.
- White noise: Has a steady power at any frequency, creating a hissing sound.
- Blue noise: Gradually increases in power as the frequency increases, creating a harsh sound, says Dr. Neubauer.
- Violet noise (aka purple noise): Quickly increases in power as the frequency increases, resulting in a high-pitched static.
Currently, there isn’t much comprehensive research investigating which colored noise is best for sleep, but initial findings suggest pink noise may be a contender, says Dr. Neubauer. Similar to white noise, pink noise can mask environmental noises that may keep you awake, but it has a deeper, softer sound than white noise that can be more soothing, according to 2022 research published in Sensors. A small 2012 study found that steady pink noise significantly reduced brain wave complexity and induced more stable sleep. And another 2020 study found that playing pink noise during stage 3 sleep (the deepest phase of non-rapid eye movement sleep) increased the percentage of time participants spent in this stage.
White noise may also be beneficial. The sound has been found to minimize the number of times babies wake up throughout the night and improve their sleep quality, and it may lead to less arousal during sleep in adults, according to a recent review. A 2007 study on four college students also found that listening to white noise decreased sleep latency and night wakings.
That said, you may not be able to pick up on the subtle differences between these colored noises, says Dr. Neubauer. That’s why he recommends experimenting with different noises and choosing the one that personally feels most soothing and blocks out environmental sounds — not necessarily the noise that has research to support its sleep benefits.
“There are some people who want complete silence, and that's fine if they're sleeping well,” says Dr. Neubauer. “The benefits for white noise in general or any of the specifically described color noises is really just a matter of individual preference, but it can help people get to sleep better and help them stay asleep.”
How to Use Noise for Better Sleep
There isn’t much scientific evidence to look to for guidance on how to use noise for optimal sleep, says Dr. Neubauer. Generally, though, he recommends turning on your noise of choice as you get into bed and keeping it playing throughout the night, so long as it doesn’t disturb you. If you wake up in the middle of the night to complete, overwhelming silence, you might have a more difficult time drifting back off to sleep than if soothing sounds were playing, he adds.
If you don’t want to invest in a noise machine, download an app, or spend the time finding a bedtime noise playlist online, consider turning on a quiet fan in your room for the same calming, consistent sounds, says Dr. Neubauer. “In addition to the sound, a fan can give you a little bit of ventilation and a sense of coolness in a room; it's been shown that people tend to sleep better if their room is cool,” he notes.
The Bottom Line
Listening to noise — regardless of its color — may help you drift off each night and stay asleep as the hours pass. Since there aren’t serious risks associated with testing this sleep practice, it’s worth considering if you're struggling to score restful shut-eye. “The background noise from any of these [noise] devices might be helpful for somebody who has a sleep disorder or who is diagnosed with insomnia,” says Dr. Neubauer. “But just about anybody might find that their sleep is enhanced somewhat by having some background noise.”