You may have heard about white noise and how it can help your child’s sleep routine.
But is it right for your baby? And is it safe to use all night? We asked sleep consultant Andrea Grace for her expert thoughts and advice.
What is white noise and why does it help babies sleep?
What is white noise?
White noise is an equal combination of different frequencies within a certain range. It sounds like a constant static.
There are similar sounding ‘noises’, like pink noise and Brownian noise (also known as brown noise or red noise), that can serve a similar purpose, but contain a different combination of frequencies and sound different as a result.
You can read more about pink and Brownian noise below.
People might also refer to other sounds, like the whirring of a fan or rainfall, as 'white noise'. This is because it is a constant, low-level sound, like white noise - you might call these 'ambient sounds'.
Why does it calm babies?
White (and pink and Brownian) noise has been known to help babies and young children sleep - some people say this is because it replicates the ambient noise they would have heard in the womb.
Andrea Grace explains that the main way white noise can benefit sleep routines is as a sleep association.
"Provided that it remains on throughout the night, it gives a child that sense of continuity - that this sound signifies sleeping."
"But also, it can muffle out any any sudden background noises like an ambulance going by or a door slamming: any sounds that might disturb them in their sleep."
Can white noise help if my baby wakes up at night?
"It can help if it's part of their general bedtime routine," Andrea says.
"Babies wake up during the night naturally, because they come out of deep sleep, into light sleep and then they have a natural arousal.
"If they've got this soothing background sound that is associated with sleep [like white noise], then it can tell them that it's still sleepy time, it's not time to get up yet."
But parents should be aware that white noise isn't a tool to fix all sleep problems on its own.
"There are lots of causes of children being wakeful at night and white noise won't cure all of those things," Andrea reminds us.
When and how to use white noise for baby's sleep
What’s the best time to start using white noise?
While there's no particular age at which you need to introduce your baby to white noise, Andrea explains the best time to introduce it into their bedtime routine.
"I would say put it on when they go into the cot," she says.
"Have a process where your baby might have a feed and then get winded and have a little book if they're old enough, or some kind of song, some kind of verbal ritual of goodnight."
"And then put them in the cot and put the white noise on at the same time as turning out the light, so that it becomes a really clear sleep association."
How long should you play white noise for?
Andrea recommends leaving the white noise on all night, if you have incorporated it into your baby's bedtime routine.
"There are some devices that are activated when a child cries or wakes up and others that that give up after 20 minutes or so.
"They might be useful for helping your child fall asleep, but they're not so good at helping your child to stay asleep."
Andrea recommends turning the white noise off, "at the same time as opening the curtains or putting the light on. It's kind of a reverse bedtime routine."
"They've got these signifiers that night time is finished, now it's daytime and turning off the white noise is part of that."
Is it safe to use white noise all night?
It's safe - in fact, Andrea suggests, if you are playing white noise for your child, it's preferable to play it for the whole night.
The only thing to be mindful of is the volume, which you can read more about below.
How loud should white noise be?
Finding a balance is important. As Andrea says, "it needs to be loud enough that they can hear it, but if you've got to raise your voice to be heard above it, it's too loud."
"It shouldn't be more than about 50 decibels."
Experiment with placement and volume and perhaps use a free decibel meter app, measuring the volume from your baby's cot or bed.
How to create white noise at home
The internet has plenty of options, if you want to play white, pink or Brownian noise for your child. You might decide to play it from an old phone or tablet, which is great for portability!
You could also try experimenting in the world of ambient sounds, if waves or rain is more your thing.
CBeebies have a whole collection of calming sounds - including white noise, birdsong and a car journey. Many are eight hours long, so perfect for playing through the night.
White noise vs pink and brown noise: What’s the difference?
What’s the difference between white, pink and brown noise?
True white, pink and brown noise sounds like static, but each varies in frequency. A lot of people prefer the lower frequency of Brownian noise to white or pink noise!
You can hear examples of all three above.
Does this matter to your baby? Probably not, Andrea its.
"I do think that if you've got a baby and you're all in the same room together, then you're going to be experiencing the noise, so if it's something that's jarring you, then change it to to a lower frequency and background noise.
"Some people find white noise a bit irritating. I find lower frequency sounds more soothing."
Do I need to wean my child off white noise?
You might worry about the effect of using white noise in your child's bedtime routines as they grow into toddlers and pre-schoolers.
However, if the volume is at a safe level, Andrea says there's nothing to be concerned about.
"There's no danger of white noise affecting an older child's hearing, so parents can keep white noise going for as long as they want to.
"But some parents, when they move their child from a cot to a toddler bed, will use that as the time to say goodbye to the white noise as well.
"But it's not a rule. If parents want to keep the white noise as their known sleep association, then they can keep it for as long as as they want."
FAQs
Can white noise be too loud for a baby?
Yes. Andrea says, while it's important to make the noise loud enough for your child to hear it, it shouldn't really be above 50 decibels.
Her rule of thumb is, if you have to raise your voice to be heard above it, it's too loud.
Can babies become dependent on white noise?
You might choose to wean your child off of white noise once they reach a certain age.
If this has become a part of their bedtime routine and one of their sleep signifiers (along with low lights and perhaps a bedtime story), you might see some sleep loss or stress in the transition.
However, just like other transitions - from cots to toddler beds, for example - your little one will adapt to the change.
Should I use white noise every night?
It's perfectly safe to use white noise every night.
If it becomes a sleep signifier, and an integral part of your child's bedtime routine. you'll want to use it to help them achieve a good night's sleep.
