White noise is a useful tool for sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, white noise is "a noise that contains all frequencies across the spectrum of audible sound in equal measure. Because white noise spans multiple bands of sound, it is sometimes referred to as broadband noise." Many people rely on it to sleep, and parents have been known to use it to help their young children sleep. But it is good for them? Dr. Harvey Karp, pediatrician and founder of Happiest Baby, answered some common questions about young children and white noise for sleep.
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What are the recommended levels of white noise for an infant?
Is it safe to play white noise for both naps and nights? Can parents still play white noise for the whole night?
"Yes, it’s safe to play white noise throughout all naps and night sleeps. It is important, however, to turn it off during the rest of the day. Hearing the normal sounds of home for many hours a day helps children master the nuances of all the interesting sounds around them."
Are there any pros and cons to playing different types of white noise (rain sound, ocean sounds, brown noise, white noise).
"If you are looking to create a relaxing environment with whale songs, lullabies, or chirping birds, go for it. But those inconsistent sounds are not effective for helping kids sleep. The best white noise for sleep is steady, low pitch, droning, and hypnotic… like the monotonous rumble of cars and planes or the continuous drone of rain on the roof. White noise is a mashup of all the different frequencies of sound at the same intensity, which helps drown out other noise."
Can infants and toddlers become too reliant on white noise?
"White noise is just another healthy sleep tool — no more 'addictive' than the favorite pillow or mattress that you want to use every night. That said, it is easy to wean your baby or toddler from white noise whenever you want. Simply lower the sound bit by bit over a week or two until it’s finally off."
