Luleep guide
What is white noise, and does it help you sleep?
Updated · Written by the Luleep team, based on the sources listed below.
White noise is a steady “shhh” that contains every audible frequency at roughly equal strength — like a fan, an air vent or radio static. Its main use at night is masking: it covers sudden sounds such as traffic, a door or voices, so they stand out less. Some people fall asleep faster with it, but research results are mixed, so keep it quiet and see whether it helps you.
What is white noise?
In acoustics, white noise is a random signal with the same energy at every frequency, in the same way that white light mixes every colour. Because our ears are more sensitive to higher frequencies, white noise sounds fairly bright and hissy: think of an untuned radio, a hair dryer or a strong fan.
The “colours” of noise describe how that energy is spread:
| Noise | Energy | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| White | Equal at every frequency | Static, a fan, an air vent — bright “shhh” |
| Pink | Falls gently towards the highs (equal per octave) | Steady rain, rustling leaves — softer |
| Brown | Falls steeply towards the highs | A distant waterfall, low rumble — deepest |
How white noise can help at night
What usually wakes us is not the loudness of a room but change: a car passing, a dog barking, a neighbour's door. A steady background sound raises the level those sounds have to rise above before you notice them. That is why white noise is used in noisy flats, shared rooms, hotels and hospitals.
A second reason is habit. A familiar sound that starts every night can become part of a bedtime routine, a simple cue that it is time to switch off.
What the research says
The evidence is encouraging in places but not strong overall:
- In a small sleep-lab study of 18 healthy adults, quiet broadband sound (about 46 dB) helped people fall asleep faster than normal room noise when they had to go to bed earlier than usual [2].
- A 2021 systematic review of 38 studies found the results inconsistent and rated the quality of evidence that continuous noise improves sleep as very low. It also noted that noise may disturb sleep or hearing if it is too loud [1].
- A 2026 sleep-lab study in 25 adults found that continuous pink noise (a close relative) shortened REM sleep, while earplugs protected sleep from traffic noise better [3].
So white noise is a tool that suits some people and some rooms. It is not a cure for sleeplessness. If you struggle to sleep most nights for weeks, a doctor can help.
How to use white noise well
- Keep it low. It should be just loud enough to blur the sounds that bother you, not loud enough to talk over. World Health Organization guidance links night-time road traffic noise above about 45 dB with poorer sleep, so there is no reason to add a loud sound of your own [4].
- Put the source away from your head. A speaker across the room spreads the sound more evenly than a phone on the pillow.
- Use a timer. If you only need help falling asleep, let the sound fade out after 30–60 minutes instead of playing all night.
- Try a softer colour. If white noise feels harsh, pink noise or brown noise mask in a similar way with less hiss. Many people also prefer natural sounds — see our sleep sounds guide.
- For babies, be extra careful with volume and distance — see is white noise safe for babies?
Questions and answers
Is it bad to sleep with white noise every night?
For most adults, a quiet white noise is unlikely to cause harm, but research has not shown clear benefits either. Keep the volume low, consider a timer, and stop if you wake up feeling less rested.
Is white noise or pink noise better for sleep?
There is no proven winner. Pink noise sounds softer because it has less energy in the high frequencies; white noise masks sharp sounds a little more. Choose the one you find calmer at a low volume.
How loud should white noise be?
As quiet as still works: just enough to soften the sounds that disturb you. If you need to raise your voice to talk over it, it is too loud.
Sources
- Riedy SM, Smith MG, Rocha S, Basner M. Noise as a sleep aid: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2021.
- Messineo L et al. Broadband sound administration improves sleep onset latency in healthy subjects in a model of transient insomnia. Frontiers in Neurology, 2017.
- Basner M, Smith MG et al. Efficacy of pink noise and earplugs for mitigating the effects of intermittent environmental noise exposure on sleep. Sleep, 2026.
- World Health Organization. Environmental noise guidelines for the European Region, 2018.
- Sleep Foundation. What is white noise?
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Luleep is for relaxation and is not a medical device. If you have ongoing trouble sleeping, or are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.