White noise has the potential to damage a baby's ears if it is too close to the child's sleep space or exceeds the maximum recommended decibel limits for extended periods of time.
A study in the journal Child & Family Behavior Therapy even found that white noise machines set at 75 decibels at bedtime—and used all night—improved sleep and reduced night-wakings in 1-year-olds with no ill effects.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), background noise should not exceed 50 decibels for an infant. Because of this study, many believe that white noise can be safe if you ensure it isn't any louder than this.
Another study examined six iPhone apps and eight white noise machines, finding that nine tested items exceeded 85 dBA at maximum volume. In general, it is essential to use caution when using noise with your baby because noise levels can cause damage to hearing at elevated levels or for a long duration.
Though many experts find nighttime white noise to be a safe and effective treatment for restlessness, some studies have suggested that repeated use of white noise could be harmful to the body, especially for those who suffer from tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
There aren't any definite time limits on how long you should use white noise to help your child sleep. Instead, when to stop using white noise for baby is a decision left up to caregivers, or in some cases, the child. Some people aim to stop using white noise by the time their child is 2 years old.
The authors call into question the quality of existing evidence and conclude that further research is necessary in order to widely recommend white noise as a sleep aid. They also note that in some instances, white noise can disturb a person's sleep and may affect their hearing.
Babies under 12 months old should be able to sleep without the aid of a sound machine. If your baby is over this age, then it may be time to transition them without the use of white noise.
Weaning off white noise
Start by using white noise as usual, but gradually, over every 2-3 nights, reduce the sound of the machine slightly so it is not really noticeable by your little one.
Your child's inner ears may be damaged if he or she is around extremely loud noises or around loud noises for long periods of time. Noise-induced hearing loss is gradual and painless. Once the hearing nerve is destroyed, it is permanent. A hearing test can be done by an audiologist or an ENT.
That is not a safe decibel level for babies especially if the exposure is prolonged. They can cause temporary and even permanent damage to the baby's ear. If you are using a white noise machine to help your baby sleep, keep the volume at a reasonably low level. The best is to keep it under 60 dB.
White noise reminds your newborn of their “happy place”—the womb! It's anything but quiet in there. For nine months, your little one swam in a noisy sea that sounded almost like the low roar of a jet engine or a gush of running water…if you were submerged in bathwater while filling the tub.
White noise reduces the risk of SIDS.
Nobody knows why the fan helps – it could be my moving the air around although many believe it has to do with the white noise the fan makes. We DO know that white noise reduces active sleep (which is the sleep state where SIDS is most likely to occur).
Technically, the whirring sound of a fan is not white noise. By definition, white noise contains all frequencies of sound that humans can hear. A fan doesn't provide this, but it is similar. Studies have found that white noise can benefit sleep.
The problem is, babies aren't capable of telling you if a noise is too loud, so it's very important that parents take steps to ensure their child's hearing is protected. You'll want to keep sounds around your baby quieter than 60 decibels.
White-noise machines also help babies stay asleep longer. It may seem like it works like magic, but the trick can be easily explained. Ever wonder why your baby seems to sleep for only 20 minutes at a time?
Sound machines can help babies fall asleep quicker. They reduce stress on both the infant and parents. White noise blocks out background noise from other household members and activities. After the first year it is recommended that parents stop using a sound machine for their baby.
But brown noise sounds more natural and can be easier on the ears, especially if you're sensitive to sound. Some experts say it ultimately comes down to personal preference – maybe you like the sound of a running fan to fall asleep (white noise), or you prefer the sound of waves crashing against the shore (brown).
One study found that many white noise machines exceeded recommended noise limits, which could potentially be harmful. It's been suggested that white noise can also lead to hearing problems and heighten the risk of language and speech development issues when children are older.
These results suggest that white noise has no general effect on cognitive functions. Instead, they indicate differential effects on perception and cognition depending on a variety of factors such as task demands and timing of white noise presentation.
Silence is scientifically proven to be beneficial for human beings and sleep. Yet, if people are falling asleep easier or getting better sleep with noise-masking, white noise or pink noise – that's just excellent.
White noise dulls those stimuli to avoid disrupting sleep patterns. In a study done by the National Library of Medicine, 80% of babies fell asleep faster with the help of white noise. In this study, researchers followed two groups of babies through their sleep routines.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB, and a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB.
In the first study, they found that the listening to the auditory white noise – heard as a “sh” sound – slightly improved memory of the images compared to when listening to the control sounds.