Is It Bad to Sleep with White Noise Every Night?
Millions of people sleep with a fan, a sound machine or an app every night. Every so often a headline suggests this might be harmful. Here are the common concerns, what the evidence actually says, and how to use noise in a way that has no real downside.
Concern 1: you will become dependent
You may well get used to it. Sound becomes part of your sleep routine, like a particular pillow or a dark room, and sleeping in silence can feel odd for a few nights. That is conditioning, not harm, and it can work in your favor: a familiar sound is a strong cue that it is time to sleep.
If you want flexibility, download a loop so you can play it anywhere, or occasionally sleep without it. If you want to stop, reduce the volume gradually over a week or two.
Concern 2: it could damage your hearing
Only if it is loud. Hearing damage depends on level and duration; at 40 to 50 dB, the level of light rain, there is no evidence of harm even over a whole night. Problems start with sustained levels of 70 to 85 dB and above. Keep it at a level you could easily talk over. See how loud white noise should be.
Concern 3: it disrupts deep sleep or the brain
A 2021 review in Sleep Medicine Reviews (Riedy and colleagues) noted that the evidence on noise as a sleep aid is thin and that continuous noise is, after all, noise. Some researchers have raised the question of whether all-night sound could reduce sleep quality for people who would otherwise sleep in a quiet room.
That is a fair point for people in genuinely quiet bedrooms. For people whose sleep is broken by traffic, neighbors or snoring, steady masking noise is generally considered far less disruptive than the sudden noises it covers. The study most often cited for brain concerns, Chang and Merzenich in Science (2003), found that young rats raised in constant moderate noise, day and night through development, showed delayed maturation of the auditory cortex. That is a long way from a quiet sound at bedtime, but it is one more reason to keep a baby’s sleep sound low and far from the crib.
A balanced approach
- Use the lowest volume that works, and place the speaker away from your head.
- Prefer softer colors such as pink or brown for long use.
- If your bedroom is quiet and you only use noise to fall asleep, set a 30 to 60 minute timer so the second half of the night is quiet.
- If noises wake you in the night, leaving it on all night at a low level is reasonable.
- For babies, follow the specific guidance in is white noise safe for babies?.
Frequently asked questions
Is it unhealthy to sleep with white noise?
Not at a sensible volume. There is no good evidence that quiet noise harms healthy adults, and it helps many people sleep through disruptive sounds.
Should I turn white noise off after I fall asleep?
If your room is quiet, a timer is a good idea. If noises wake you during the night, keep it on at a low level.
Can you train yourself to sleep without white noise?
Yes. Lower the volume a little every few nights until it is off. Most people adjust within one to two weeks.