White noise is a useful tool for sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, white noise is "a noise that contains all frequencies across the spectrum of audible sound in equal measure. Because white noise spans multiple bands of sound, it is sometimes referred to as broadband noise." Many people rely on it to sleep, and parents have been known to use it to help their young children sleep. But it is good for them? Dr. Harvey Karp, pediatrician and founder of Happiest Baby, answered some common questions about young children and white noise for sleep.
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What are the recommended levels of white noise for an infant?
"For calm babies, I recommend playing white noise at 60 to 70 decibels, which is about the level of a parent singing a lullaby or a soft shower. For fussy babies, it’s best to match their intensity — with loud shushing or even a hair dryer sound — in order to flip on their calming reflex. Your baby’s calming reflex is a relative 'off switch' for crying and 'on switch' for sleep. It works so well, unless your baby is hungry, uncomfortable, or lonely," Dr. Karp explains.
"For some perspective, your upset baby’s crying commonly hits 100–110 decibels and studies show that the sound inside the womb reaches a quite strong 72–92 decibels. Of course, you should never blast your white noise machine at max volume right next to your little one’s ears all night long! Instead, once your baby has fallen asleep — and has been asleep for 5 or 10 minutes — slowly crank down the white noise to 60–70 decibels."
Are there any harmful effects of playing white noise for toddlers? If so, what are they?
"As long as their white noise machine isn't loud, it’s safe for tots to listen throughout sleep. In fact, it’s beneficial! Young children make the connection that white noise means sleepytime is here. At the same time, white noise helps distract toddlers from some common internal sleep-sappers, such as mild teething pain. Finally, white noise creates a blanket of sound that masks sudden shifts in sound consistency — like when a loud truck zooms by your child’s window — that can wake up a tot."
Is it safe to play white noise for both naps and nights? Can parents still play white noise for the whole night?
"Yes, it’s safe to play white noise throughout all naps and night sleeps. It is important, however, to turn it off during the rest of the day. Hearing the normal sounds of home for many hours a day helps children master the nuances of all the interesting sounds around them."
Are there any pros and cons to playing different types of white noise (rain sound, ocean sounds, brown noise, white noise).
"If you are looking to create a relaxing environment with whale songs, lullabies, or chirping birds, go for it. But those inconsistent sounds are not effective for helping kids sleep. The best white noise for sleep is steady, low pitch, droning, and hypnotic… like the monotonous rumble of cars and planes or the continuous drone of rain on the roof. White noise is a mashup of all the different frequencies of sound at the same intensity, which helps drown out other noise."
Can infants and toddlers become too reliant on white noise?
"White noise is just another healthy sleep tool — no more 'addictive' than the favorite pillow or mattress that you want to use every night. That said, it is easy to wean your baby or toddler from white noise whenever you want. Simply lower the sound bit by bit over a week or two until it’s finally off."
*Disclaimer: The advice on Mom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
