We asked sleep and hearing experts to weigh in Everyone needs something a little different from their bedtime routine to fall asleep. And for many people who live in noisy neighborhoods or who simply can’t stand the silence at night, a machine that creates soothing “white noise” is the go-to answer. But is extended exposure to the droning sounds of white noise machines safe for our ears — and are they actually helping us sleep? We asked experts in hearing loss as well as adult and child sleep research to clarify whether white noise machines work and how to use them safely. White noise is a method of sound masking. It can help to hide/mask external sounds that can disturb a sleeper (e.g. barking dogs, creaky house, strong winds),” explains Dr. Craig Richard, an ASMR researcher and professor at the Bernard J Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University. “White noise is created by playing the sound of every frequency perceptible to human hearing at once and at a similar loudness. This helps to hide/mask external sounds regardless of their frequencies.” Indeed, data shows that people in noisy environments like, say New York City, can benefit from this sound masking effect. But white noise isn’t the cure-all for every kind of sleeplessness. “If a sleeper’s primary problem is external sounds, then white noise can be very helpful,” Dr. Richard says. “Unfortunately, white noise is less helpful for sleepers if the primary problem is ‘internal noise,’ meaning restless thoughts
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