Does white noise help you fall asleep faster?

White noise can help you fall asleep faster, especially for people who are sensitive to environmental sounds.

White noise is a constant, broad spectrum of sound that masks other sounds. Think of the sound of a fan, TV noise or a noise machine. It prevents sudden sounds, such as traffic or voices, from disturbing your sleep.

White noise also has disadvantages such as habituation. You can become dependent on white noise to fall asleep. Too loud noise (above 50 dB) can cause hearing damage in the long term. It is not suitable for everyone. Some people find it disturbing or irritating. Especially with babies, one must be careful of habituation, hearing damage and irritation.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587621001506

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079220301283

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2025-02-07 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025