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White Noise For Sleeping: Benefits and Free Audios
Published: Sep 27, 2024
Updated: Sep 27, 2024
Author
For night owls or workaholics, trying to fall asleep at night feels almost like a chore. If it’s not the loud noise coming from the outside, it’s the overactive mind that keeps you up. In times like this, turning to soothing sleep sounds like white noise for sleeping can make all the difference.
How so? Keep reading to find out the benefits of white noise and get the chance to listen to 5 free white noise audios, put together by our team.
Key Takeaways
White noise is all the noise frequencies that are audible to the human ear.
It most commonly sounds like ‘broadband noise’ or a static-like noise and it has a much higher frequency than pink or brown noise.
White noise can help you mask loud noises, reduce stress and anxiety, and create a relaxing sleep atmosphere.
In this article, you will find 5 free white noise audios that range from rain sounds, fan sounds to the sounds of ocean waves crashing.
When using white noise, you should ensure that the volume is adjusted to an appropriate level that will not hurt your ears, choose the right sound, set a timer, and use a white noise generator or app if necessary.
What Is White Noise?
White noise is a type of colored noise that contains all the audible frequencies across the audible sound spectrum, at the same intensity. The typical range of white noise falls between the range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz [1].
White noise typically sounds like:
- heavy rain sounds
- ocean waves
- wind blowing
- whirring or oscillating fans
- waterfalls
- television or radio static
The different sounds that make up white noise are often thought of as a “broadband noise” or a static-like sound. Additionally, compared to pink noise or brown noise, white noise has a much higher frequency, which contributes to it sounding lighter.
Benefits of Using It For Sleep
White noise can be beneficial when it comes to helping adults or children to fall asleep. It works mainly as a sound-masking feature.
If you live in a big city or a place that is filled with constant noise from your neighbors or traffic, white noise can help to drown these sounds at night so that you can fall asleep peacefully.
Besides this, white noise also helps in these ways:
- Reduce stress and anxiety: Stress and anxiety can potentially keep you up at night. White noise serves as a distraction, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Creates a relaxing atmosphere: It can also be used to create a relaxing sleep environment. For example, the sound of rain or ocean crashing is known to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to relax and unwind for bedtime [2].
5 Examples of White Noise Audios
Below are 5 relaxing white noise audios that we have created for you to get a sense of how white noise can be a relaxing sleep aid. Feel free to try out the different sounds and adjust the volume according to your preferences.
For more audios like this, check out the ShutEye® app. ShutEye® is an all-in-one sleep app that offers a wide variety of sleep sounds from white noise, lullabies, nature soundscapes, and much more.
4 Tips on Using White Noise
Using white noise for sleep is a fairly easy process to start with. One of the easiest ways to get started on using white noise is by searching for free white noise audio on YouTube such as the examples above.
However, to use white noise carefully and safely for sleep, there are still things that you should take note of. Here are 4 tips to guide you through this process:
- Adjust the volume appropriately: When you are using it for the first time, it’s important to adjust the volume to a safe level. This is to prevent hearing damage or loss. It is advisable to keep volume levels below 85 dB, best if it is below 70 dB [3].
- Choose the right sound: Experiment with different types of noise to find what best suits you. There are many different types of sounds that you can find on YouTube, apps, or streaming services like Spotify.
- Set a timer: You don’t have to play white noise throughout the night as you sleep. Set a timer so that you can turn off after a set period, and prevent overexposure to the noise.
- Use white noise generators or apps if needed: If you need a customized sleep solution, try using a white noise generator or sleep app like ShutEye® that comes with a set of sounds and settings for adjustment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, white noise can be useful in helping you to sleep better. It not only helps to drown out loud background noises but it can also help reduce stress and anxiety and create a relaxing sleep environment.
To listen to more sleep sounds like this, get the ShutEye® app. ShutEye® is the most comprehensive sleep solution that allows you to track your sleep cycle, and listen to a wide collection of sleep sounds, stories, and meditations.
About authors
Amirah is a content writer passionate about topics related to mental health and wellness. Recently, she delved into the realm of sleep health, spurred by a personal recognition of her subpar sleep habits and a desire for improvement. Amirah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Communication Studies from the University of Nottingham.
References
Paula Palomo (2024) Why are Ocean Sounds Calming? [online]. Available at: https://blog.padi.com/why-are-ocean-sounds-calming
Wilson, D. R. (2022) Everything you need to know about pink noise, white noise, and sonic hues [online]. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pink-noise-vs-white-noise
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