Evie Summers
Many people rely on background noise to fall asleep. In fact, a 2023 survey found that 52% of adults need some sort of background noise to sleep. This could be due to the fact that background noise can help to mask other noises that might wake someone up, such as a snoring partner or outside traffic. Background noise can also help to distract people from anxious or intrusive thoughts, preparing the mind for sleep. However, it is important to note that some people may have an unhealthy relationship with background noise, using it to avoid dealing with underlying issues such as general anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or phobias.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of adults who rely on background noise to sleep | 52% |
| Percentage of adults who use music to sleep | 40.4% |
| Percentage of adults who use nature sounds to sleep | 40.1% |
| Average amount of sleep lost per night by adults who rely on background noise | 28 minutes |
| Percentage of adults who use white noise from an app or machine to sleep | 38.1% |
| Percentage of adults who use pink noise to sleep | 14.7% |
| Percentage of adults who use brown noise to sleep | 13.8% |
| Percentage of adults who use a fan or air conditioner to sleep | 34.3% |
| Percentage of adults who fall asleep to TV sounds | 33.3% |
| Percentage of adults who use autonomous sensory meridian response sounds (ASMR) to sleep | 17.6% |
| Percentage of parents who say their children need background noise to sleep | 37.2% |
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What You'll Learn
Background noise helps to muffle jarring, sudden noises that may startle you awake
Background noise can be a useful tool to help mask jarring, sudden noises that might otherwise startle you awake. For instance, a constant, low noise in the background can help to muffle the sound of pets running around the house, traffic noise, or a snoring partner. This can be particularly useful in a slightly noisy environment, where the background noise acts as a camouflage for other noises that might disturb your sleep.
White noise, which is a kind of quiet, neutral noise, can be useful here. This could be the sound of a humming fan, or calming nature sounds, such as rain, wind, or ocean waves. White noise can also refer to a combination of multiple sound frequencies at the same time, which can be produced by a white noise machine, or a smartphone app.
Other types of background noise can also be effective, depending on your preference. Some people find that music, nature sounds, or the sound of a fan or air conditioner help them to sleep.
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It can distract from anxious or intrusive thoughts, preparing the mind for sleep
Background noise can be a useful tool to distract from anxious or intrusive thoughts and prepare the mind for sleep. It can help to mask other noises that might otherwise wake someone up, such as a partner's snoring, traffic, or pets. For those with tinnitus, background noise can help to drown out the ringing or buzzing in their ears.
Some people find that background noise helps to soothe and relax them, while others use it to distract from their inner dialogue. It can be a way to occupy the mind without engaging too heavily, allowing people to fall asleep more easily. This can be particularly helpful for those with general anxiety disorder (GAD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The constant, low noise of a fan, white noise machine, or nature sounds can block out other noises and create a calming environment.
Additionally, background noise can act as a form of stimulation for people who need it to fall asleep. It can provide a sense of familiarity and routine, especially for those who grew up with some form of background noise during bedtime. For example, some people find that listening to specific types of music, audiobooks, or podcasts helps them relax and fall asleep.
However, it's important to note that while background noise can be helpful for some, it may not be a healthy habit for everyone. If someone finds that their need for noise is non-negotiable and linked to extreme anxiety or fear, it could be a sign of an underlying condition such as GAD, OCD, or a specific phobia. In such cases, seeking professional help and exploring treatment options like exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy may be beneficial.
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It can help people with tinnitus
Background noise can be incredibly helpful for people with tinnitus, a condition that causes a sound in the head with no external source. For many, this manifests as a high-pitched ringing, while for others, it can be a range of noises, including whistling, whooshing, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or shrieking.
The use of background noise in the form of sound therapy can help to mask or distract from the noise of tinnitus. The brain can only focus on one thing at a time, so by introducing calming sounds, such as white noise, nature sounds, or ambient sounds, the perception of tinnitus can be altered. This is known as masking, a common form of sound therapy.
Some people with tinnitus find that certain types of background noise are more effective than others. For example, brown noise, which is more mid to low-end noise similar to that of an air conditioner, is preferred by some over the higher-pitched "white noise", which can make tinnitus worse. Other options include pink noise, nature sounds like rain or a babbling brook, or the sound of a fan.
In addition to masking, another sound therapy technique is habituation, or tinnitus retraining therapy. This process involves training the brain to become accustomed to tinnitus by listening to similar noises for extended periods. Eventually, the brain learns to ignore both the tinnitus and the therapy noise.
While there is no cure for tinnitus, sound therapy can provide much-needed relief for those suffering from this condition, helping them to tune out the internal noise and improve their sleep.
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It can help people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety
Background noise can be beneficial for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety. It can help to mask or drown out other noises that might trigger anxiety or distressing memories, allowing them to fall asleep more easily and get a good night's rest. The use of white noise or soothing sounds can be particularly effective in providing a sense of calm and reducing anxiety.
For individuals with PTSD, background noise can serve as a distraction from intrusive or anxious thoughts, preparing the mind for sleep. It can also help to muffle sounds that may remind them of past trauma, providing a sense of comfort and safety. Additionally, background noise can aid in blocking out sudden noises that could trigger flashbacks or nightmares, which are common symptoms of PTSD.
Research suggests that adequate sleep after a traumatic event can reduce the intensity of trauma-related memories and make them less distressing. Therefore, background noise can play a crucial role in helping individuals with PTSD improve their sleep quality and manage their symptoms.
Furthermore, background noise can be advantageous for those with anxiety by acting as a form of sound masking. It helps to camouflage unexpected noises, preventing them from becoming a source of distraction or anxiety. This is especially beneficial for individuals who find it challenging to filter out stimuli, as the background noise provides a consistent auditory environment that promotes relaxation and improves sleep quality.
While the use of background noise can be beneficial for some, it is important to note that individual preferences may vary. Some people might find certain types of background noise, such as white noise, too harsh or jarring. In such cases, softer alternatives like pink noise or natural sounds from the environment can be explored.
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It can help babies sleep
Background noise can be beneficial for babies' sleep. It can help to calm and settle them, blocking out sudden noises that might startle them and helping them to stay asleep. Soft music, white noise, or nature sounds, such as rain, can be soothing and help babies fall asleep and stay asleep. Keeping noise levels consistent throughout the night is also important, as babies often wake up to changes in the level of background noise.
Babies' sleep is noisy, with a wide range of sounds, from gurgling and grunting to coughing and sneezing, being completely normal. This is because their digestive and respiratory systems are still developing, and their sleep cycles are much shorter than those of adults. As a result, they are constantly moving in and out of sleep, and their sleep is often noisy.
However, it is important to be mindful of the volume of any background noise, as loud noises can be damaging to babies' hearing. Additionally, some sources suggest that while babies might sleep soundly in loud environments, they may become unsettled later on as they "reprocess" all the input they received while sleeping.
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