Getting a kid to sleep is no joke< , whether it’s pulling off this Indiana Jones maneuver or answering 432 questions about the nature of intesticles and callapittars while brushing teeth, I know I can’t be the only one that silently fist pumps as I tiptoe out of a sleeping child’s room.
Now don’t get me wrong. I adore my kids, but one of my life goals is to go to the restroom by myself at least once per day. To make sure that happens, I have long relied on our Homedics sound machine, aka the keeper-asleeper-of-sleeping-children.
Then a few weeks ago, while on vacation with some dear friends, another mom mentioned to me that they might inhibit brain function. Um, what?
Brains Adapt to White Noise Machines
Now I’m not really one to go looking for things to worry about, but since the potami spend nearly 1/3 of their lives sleeping with a sound machine playing in the background I felt like I needed to check into it.
What I learned is that studies do suggest white noise can increase our stress load, impair cognitive function and possibly even delay brain development. Fortunately, there’s a solution that involves one small tweak to your sound environment. We’ll get to that soon, but…
First, try this (I dare you!)
Without analyzing things too much, click play and watch this video. No skipping ahead, mmkay? This is serious business.
You bobbed your head at least a little, didn’t you? It’s okay, this is a safe place. We won’t tell.
Here’s the thing, though, your response isn’t necessarily due to your love (or lack thereof) of the Back Street Boys. In Healing At The Speed Of Sound, authors Don Campbell and Alex Doman explain why:
“Aside from songbirds, humans are the only creatures that automatically feel the beat of a song, according to Nina Kraus, a professor of neurobiology at Northwestern University. Music entrains our bodies – physically by activating the muscle-control centers of our brains that get us moving to the rhythm, and emotionally by guiding our moods into synchronicity with its own tone.”
That last part about guiding our moods describes one of the most fascinating aspects of brain entrainment, or how our brains mirror the sounds around us. When the sounds are meaningful and beautiful, our brains become more organized and integrated. When the sounds are chaotic and stressful, our brains struggle with basic functions.
Does my sound machine impair brain function and development?
If you’re like me, you’ve probably always equated white noise with the sound of rain, or waves, or some other sound in nature. Interestingly, it’s not natural at all, and therein lies the problem.
White noise is actually machine-generated static that is used to mask annoying or distracting sounds. It works by combining all the frequencies we can hear – about 20,000 tones – into one sound. Basically, it’s the equivalent of a huge orchestra all playing a different note at once. What you get is not music, but a wall of sound that blocks other sound.
Of course, few of us (if any) can relax to the sound of scratchy static generated by a radio, or any other form. White noise manufacturers know that, so they embed the static within sound clips of waves or rain to make it more palatable. Though it seems like a sensible solution, this approach may actually cause several problems:
Increased stress levels, impaired cognitive function
One really important feature of white noise is that it “has equal power across all frequencies,” meaning that the wall of sound contains both high-pitched and low-pitched frequencies. (source) High-pitched frequencies can be stressful to the body, which is why they are filtered out in sound therapies such as pink and brown noise.
According to this Scientific American article:
“Several studies have indicated that stress resulting from ongoing white noise can induce the release of cortisol, a hormone that helps to restore homeostasis in the body after a bad experience. Excess cortisol impairs function in the prefrontal cortex—an emotional learning center that helps to regulate ‘executive’ functions such as planning, reasoning and impulse control. Some recent evidence indicates that the prefrontal cortex also stores short-term memories. Changes to this region, therefore, may disrupt a person’s capacity to think clearly and to retain information.
Though not definitive, recent research also suggests that noise-induced stress may decrease dopamine availability in the prefrontal cortex, where the hormone controls the flow of information from other parts of the body. Stress resulting from background noise, then, may decrease higher brain function, impairing learning and memory.”
Why does white noise have this effect? One theory is that our brains are hardwired to interpret meaningful noise rather than static. According to Campbell and Doman, “Certain sounds, provided in the right context and combinations, can organize our neural activity, stimulate our bodies, [and] retune our emotions.”
When the sounds grow “more coherent – sounding more like a real melody – different parts of the brain interact in a more intense and consistent, or coherent, manner.” In contrast, when confronted with a disorganized sound, “your brain creates a stress response that can include a rise in blood pressure and shallow breathing.” (source)
According to this perspective, even though we don’t hear the static underlying white noise consciously, our auditory processing centers do and they do their best to filter that into meaningful information for us. However, since our brains are not optimally wired to interpret static, it may leave us with the stress of constantly trying to figure out what we’re hearing on a subconscious level.
Potentially impaired brain development in children
This section comes with a HUGE SILVER LINING, so read on! This study found that, in rats, exposure to “continuous white noise sabotages the development of the auditory region of the brain, which may ultimately impair hearing and language acquisition.” (source)
Now obviously rats aren’t people, but we can still extrapolate very valuable information regarding general auditory development in mammals from this study. The good news is that although brain development was significantly delayed, the rats compensated by extending the “critical period” in which the brain wires its neural networks – a feature called neuroplasticity. As soon as the white noise was removed, they completely caught up.
One of the researchers, Edward Chang, summarized by saying “it’s like the brain is waiting for some clearly patterned sounds in order to continue its development. And when it finally gets them, it is heavily by influenced them, even when the animal is physically older.”
Sound and our circadian rhythms
As mentioned earlier, most white noise is paired with a soundbite, usually a five-second clip of ocean waves/rain/etc. played on a loop. In nature, nothing repeats on a five-second loop for eight hours straight, which got me wondering what kind of effect this might have.
According to this study published in the American Journal of Physiology, sounds have as much impact on our circadian rhythms as light. Could exposure to a repetitive 5-second clip throughout the night disrupt our internal biological rhythms? At this point we don’t have any studies on that, but I think it’s a question worth asking.
Are white noise machines bad?
Eh, I wouldn’t say that. They’re better than being kept awake by intrusive sounds, that’s for sure. But after using one for years, I have often found myself thinking about how glad I will to be rid of it when our toddler transitions out of our bed.
Now that I understand how my body responds to noise instead of meaningful sound, those thoughts make a lot more sense.
Fortunately, I don’t have to wait. Remember Alex Doman, the co-author of Healing At The Speed Of Sound I mentioned earlier? Well, I had the privilege of talking with him recently about one of his latest projects…
Sleep Genius: A Better Way To Fall (And Stay) Asleep
At the beginning of this post I told you that making one small change in your auditory sleep environment could have a huge impact, and now I’m going to tell you what it is: Sleep Genius. It’s sound therapy that comes in the form of a $5 app (designed for iPhone and android) and a sound system, and it has transformed the way my family sleeps.
(I’m going to explain more about the difference between the app and the sound system later, but if you want to skip ahead it’s at the bottom of the post.)
Recently featured in Spinoff, a magazine created by NASA to celebrate the use of its technologies in everyday life, Sleep Genius is completely new type of sound therapy.
Developed by Dr. Seth Horowitz, one of the auditory neuroscientists who worked on the original project with NASA to help astronauts overcome insomnia, along with Alex Doman (author of Healing At The Speed Of Sound and the founder of Advanced Brain Technologies), Lance Massey (the musician who created the famous T-Mobile ringtone) and Vera Brandes (an expert in music therapy who serves as the Director of Research Program for Music-Medicine at Paracelsus Medical University in Austria), Sleep Genius uses four research-backed techniques to help our brains sleep better, deeper, and longer.
Unlike white noise, which masks disruptive noise but has no detectable impact on our brains sleep center, these four techniques work with our biology to filter out distracting noises and bring in sleep-enhancing sounds, thus improving sleep quality.
Neurosensory Algorithms
Though they sound very clinical, neurosensory algorithms are actually more like the comforting arms of a mother than cold electrodes on your brain. Here’s what I mean:
If you’ve ever rocked a baby to sleep or become drowsy while riding in a car, you’ve experienced a curious phenomenon called the vestibular effect.
Basically, the vestibular system is a sensory system that detects motion and helps us keep our balance. Interestingly, it’s also hardwired to the sleep network in our brain – “the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the master clock in charge of regulating our circadian rhythms, and a region in the hypothalamus that’s host to a stimulation-inducing neuropeptide called orexin.” (source)
High-amplitude vibrations picked up by the vestibular system stimulate alertness, while low-amplitude vibrations make us sleepy. What NASA research revealed is that motions such as rocking or riding in a a car are not the only way to deliver low-amplitude vibrations – we can do the same thing with sound.
Using very specific algorithms, Sleep Genius “rocks” the vestibular system to sleep using very specific musical vibrations – pretty amazing, huh?
Multi-Band Binaural Beats
These pulses of sound “induce synchronization from the brain stem to the frontal lobe. Multiband binaural beats create a relaxing cascade of sound that gently and efficiently help you maintain deep, restorative sleep.” (source)
Pink Noise
Similar to white noise, pink noise helps to mask annoying and intrusive sounds. The important difference between the two is that the stress-inducing, high-pitched frequencies found in white noise are filtered out of pink noise.
Scientifically-Composed Music
As you’ve probably already guessed, this is a blend of relaxing sounds and harmonies that weave the three previous elements together.
The downside of Sleep Genius
Last night, as Sleep Genius played softly in the background, I crawled into bed to write for a few minutes before drifting off to sleep. The aroma of ylang ylang, patchouli, frankincense, clary sage, sweet orange and thyme drifted across the room as I scribbled in my salt-lamp illuminated journal. It was pretty much perfect, but there is one downside of Sleep Genius I want to mention.
Unlike white noise machines, which create a wall of sound to block other sounds, Sleep Genius integrates pink noise with other components to relax the mind, rock the vestibular system to sleep, and encourage optimal sleep patterns.
Though it creates a relaxing spa-like environment – which, I kid you not, has drastically reduced the amount of time it takes for the potami to fall asleep AND helped them sleep longer – it doesn’t block noise in the same way that white noise machines do. It filters out some, but it doesn’t completely block it.
The first night I used Sleep Genius was a little difficult, because I’d come to believe I needed the “wall of sound” to relax. By the second night, though, I realized that even though I could hear more ambient noise, my mind was so relaxed it just rolled off me like water off a ducks back. In contrast, when I was using the white noise machine, even small noises would often disrupt my sleep.
Personally, after experiencing Sleep Genius I cannot imagine going back to my white noise machine unless it was to counteract very intrusive noise while traveling, etc., but I wanted to mention this so you won’t be caught by surprise.
Which Sleep Genius should I get?
As I mentioned earlier, there’s both an app (designed for iPhone and android) and a sound system. The app can be downloaded to your phone, but you’ll need to hook your phone up to a high-quality speaker to get the benefits. (Also, if you use the app to help your little one nap, you’ll need to relinquish your phone while he/she is asleep. Or if you have an old phone you’re not using, you can make it a dedicated Sleep Genius phone.)
Another option is their sound system, which includes a high-quality speaker integrated with an iPod shuffle that has been loaded with four tracks: Serenity, Renewed Universe, Dreamscapes and Tranquility.
There are a few differences between the physical sound system and the app. First, the app is only $5, which is awesome. Because apps limit the size of files downloaded, Sleep Genius had to compress the tracks available to fit within those guidelines. So some of the benefits of the music are lost in compression, while the speaker sound system uses a much larger file to deliver high-fidelity sound. The better the sound quality, the more likely the brain is to be receptive.
That said, if you read the reviews on the app (except for the ones expressing frustration over technical difficulties due to a recent format change from Apple), they’re glowing. I’ve personally used both and love them both, so my recommendation would be to go with the $5 app and invest in some high-quality speakers.
One thing to consider, though, is that the speaker system is completely wired, which means it emits no radio-frequency EMFs. If your going to use the phone app, I suggest turning it to airplane mode before going to sleep.
This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Have you tried Sleep Genius? Please share how it worked for you in the comments!
Micki
May 5, 2015 at 12:24 PMWe use fans year-round to provide white noise. I wonder where their type of sound fits in with this? As a side note, it feels like there is an article every week about why some thing once thought as harmless or beneficial can actually be detrimental to our health. 🙁
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 1:44 PMFans, air filters, and air conditioners all tend to have the same issues because high-pitched frequencies are not intentionally filtered out. However, I focused most of my research on machines created to make white noise, not ones that generate it by default. Let me see if I can get in touch with the author of “Healing at the Speed of Sound” and get his take on this.
Megan
May 6, 2015 at 7:36 AMI had this same question and look forward to your findings. Thank you!
Loriel
May 6, 2015 at 10:40 AMI would love to hear the answer to this too. We use a fan in our son’s room; mostly because he loves the cooling affect but it also helps with white noise.
Heather
May 6, 2015 at 11:12 AMI emailed Alex Doman, author of Healing at the Speed of Sound to get his take on this. Here’s the gist of what he had to say:
Fans, air conditioners, humidifiers produce an “approximation” of white noise, not actual white noise which is every audible sound frequency at equal intensity. The dohm has an internal fan, so it too is an “approximation” of white noise. White noise has been generalized as a term to describe sound that blocks other sound, although that is not the strict technical definition.
The Scientific Article mentioned in post looked at the ambient noises that devices (not white noise machines, but everyday devices) produce and found that a stress response occurred in some people. So, yes, these devices may contribute to elevated cortisol in some cases, as the Scientific American article states.
Note from Heather – Here’s my personal opinion: Some of these devices may emit lots of high-pitched sounds, while others may not. I think they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 🙂
Ab
July 15, 2018 at 10:42 AMI personally find fans very annoying. I can’t sleep with them on very well. When I listen to the white noise YouTube videos my brain makes a big thank you sigh of relief when I shut it off again. Its like someone had their hands holding my brain all around and then took them off.
Then I tried pink noise. That makes me want to shut it off immediately. It enrages me to listen to it. You could probably torture me with it.
Then I tried brown noise and its the only thing I can stand.
Why people want any kind of noise around them all the time escapes me. Of course I don’t like listening to lots of other sounds but the drowning out doesn’t make it better. At all
Casey
May 22, 2015 at 9:27 AMMicki,
That’s easy: it’s because modernity itself is harmful to us. We need to get off the Internet and go back to the soil. It’s very simple to mentally consider whether something like a white noise machine is natural or not. Man-made electricity is not, after all!
Streever
November 12, 2015 at 5:19 AMIf modernity is so deadly, why do people who live in technologically advanced nations live so much longer?
The infant mortality rate would skyrocket if we all went back to the soil; people living in that environment seem healthier because the sickest don’t survive childhood.
sarah
May 11, 2016 at 2:11 PMActually Streever, the US has one of the worst/highest infant mortality rates amongst the developed nations in the world.
Cjee
March 20, 2017 at 11:00 PMMaybe so (I haven’t checked your “facts”) but she was comparing developed nations to not so developed nations or technology to going back to soil.
You’re comparing developed nation against developed nation.
SamIam
November 10, 2017 at 10:53 AMPeople arent living longer and the quality of their lives are decreasing rapidly. America has the highest infant, mother mortality rate in the developed world. Technology is making people dumber.
Paula
October 8, 2015 at 8:45 AMWell…I don’t know if this answers your question, but, I always knew that the brain needs complete QUIET while sleeping. If there is any kind of sound, your brain is still working and doesn’t get the rest it needs.
Tracie Wallace
February 2, 2019 at 12:18 PMPaula – That’s incorrect, the brain does remain very active during sleep. It recharges, cleans house (so to speak), continues to control body functions and a host of other activities. The brain doesn’t require QUIET to sleep, it depends on the person.
Daddy Tiger
September 19, 2017 at 1:25 AMbecause she is SELLING something…!!!!
Margo
June 20, 2018 at 8:38 AMHey Heather. Were you paid to promote that app in your article? Thanks.
Heather
June 20, 2018 at 8:49 PMNo, I wasn’t. 🙂
Carrie Walker
May 5, 2015 at 12:34 PMI had a question–maybe you mentioned this but I missed it–are the negative effects on the brain still applicable if you use a fan-based type white noise that doesn’t utilize sound bites on loop? In my 2 1/2 year old’s room I use an air purifier, and in our room, a dohm white noise machine.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 4:43 PMFrom what I understand fans are likely to have the same issue as white noise machines, but I’ve emailed Alex Doman, author of Healing at the Speed of Sound, to get his take. Will report back when I hear from him. 🙂
Heather
May 6, 2015 at 11:13 AMHeard back from Alex Doman – synopsis posted in the thread just above this one!
Paula
October 8, 2015 at 8:45 AMWell…I don’t know if this answers your question, but, I always knew that the brain needs complete QUIET while sleeping. If there is any kind of sound, your brain is still working and doesn’t get the rest it needs.
Bigmouth
October 31, 2015 at 10:15 AMThat doesn’t make any sense. In the real world, nobody ever experiences “complete QUIET” unless they’re in a sensory deprivation tank. And even then, your brain will manufacture auditory hallucinations spontaneously.
MamaZ
May 5, 2015 at 12:58 PMYou keep mentioning the effects during an 8 hour night -given that this is a long period of time I see th. concern. However, my son uses a Sleep Sheet (ocean, please, no whale songs), which has an automatic shut off at 45 minutes. Like others have mentioned, we have a fan for air circulation that runs all night. I’m curious if the research shows less impact when whitr noise plays for a short period of timr versus the extended over night use like many white noise machines.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 4:45 PMIt is my understanding that the fan is also probably a source of white noise, so if it runs all night I’m not sure how that would impact things. I’ll see what I can find out.
Heather
May 6, 2015 at 11:18 AMBased on Alex’s response (posted in the top thread above), the fan is an “approximation of white noise.” Without measuring it specifically it’s impossible to know the intensity of the high-pitched frequencies it may (or may not) emit. However, he does have some comments in general on everyday devices based on the Scientific American article mentioned in the post.
Jonathathan Mason
November 18, 2018 at 3:00 PMI don’t mean to contradict you but I’m just saying I think you’re Misinformed because white noise exists in the entire universe from the sound of water running through a stream it relaxes you that’s white noise and people have form asleep to that for years in it’s natural I think whoever told you that did not know what they were talking about no offense
Krupesh
May 5, 2015 at 1:10 PMWe too use an air purifier which creates a fan noise. I’d like to know where these sit but I’d be willing to try something better.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 1:45 PMI’ll see if I can find out!
Heather
May 6, 2015 at 11:19 AMI emailed Alex Doman, author of Healing at the Speed of Sound to get his take on this. Here’s the gist of what he had to say:
Fans, air conditioners, humidifiers produce an “approximation” of white noise, not actual white noise which is every audible sound frequency at equal intensity. The dohm has an internal fan, so it too is an “approximation” of white noise. White noise has been generalized as a term to describe sound that blocks other sound, although that is not the strict technical definition.
The Scientific Article mentioned in post looked at the ambient noises that devices (not white noise machines, but everyday devices) produce and found that a stress response occurred in some people. So, yes, these devices may contribute to elevated cortisol in some cases, as the Scientific American article states.
Note from Heather – Here’s my personal opinion: Some of these devices may emit lots of high-pitched frequencies, while others may not. I think they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 🙂
Beks
May 5, 2015 at 1:43 PMInteresting. I actually play a Mozart Pandora station while I sleep (It shuts off after an hour), for two reasons: There have been studies (which may have been debunked. Who honestly knows?) that show that they make your think harder during the day. And it also drowns out my mom in her office, which is right next to my room. She’s a telephone triage nurse and works overnights. I’ve never really thought of white noise machines as being bad for you, though.
Marisa
May 5, 2015 at 2:36 PMWe have a white noise machine that has several different sounds on it, and I use the “gurgling stream” setting for our baby’s daytime naps and at night only until we go to bed. Does the natural sound of a stream have the same effect as the white noise you’re talking about? For example, is the recorded sound of a stream similar enough to the sound you’d hear if you were camping in a tent by a stream? And is this harmful? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!! 🙂
Carrie Willard
May 5, 2015 at 3:38 PMYeah, there’s gotta be more to the story. Nature is LOUD in many parts of the world (ocean waves, wind, bugs and other critters). The womb is also very loud.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 5:01 PMAgreed, nature is loud! The thing about all the sounds you mentioned is that they are the type that has been shown to help our brains become more organized and integrated. I believe loud chaotic sounds are a different story. 🙂
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 4:59 PMHi Marisa, I think maybe your machine is the type I mentioned about midway through?
“As mentioned earlier, most white noise is paired with a soundbite, usually a five-second clip of ocean waves/rain/etc. played on a loop. In nature, nothing repeats on a five-second loop for eight hours straight, which got me wondering what kind of effect this might have.
According to this study published in the American Journal of Physiology, sounds have as much impact on our circadian rhythms as light. Could exposure to a repetitive 5-second clip throughout the night disrupt our internal biological rhythms? At this point we don’t have any studies on that, but I think it’s a question worth asking.”
If so, one thing to consider is that the static sound is still there – it’s embedded in the nature sound. That said, this is an issue of good/better/best in my opinion. This is not something I think anyone should freak out over. I just wrote about it because I think there’s a better option out there that’s very affordable.
Marisa
May 5, 2015 at 6:57 PMOkay, I see what you’re saying. It is something worth considering! Thanks for the clarification. 🙂
Jen
May 5, 2015 at 3:19 PMI have used Sleep Genius for a while now and love it! It is so calming and makes me feel like I’m being rocked to sleep. So much better than white noise.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 4:51 PMSo happy it’s worked well for you!
Erin
May 5, 2015 at 4:22 PMI’ve often wondered about this. We use brown noise, mostly to block out our noise (doing dishes, etc), and I used to turn it down once we were going to bed. My youngest sometimes won’t sleep unless I turn brown noise on for her, which is odd since we actually don’t play it for her normally. I wonder what is different about brown noise and how much it affects the brain? Both pink and white noise annoy me, so they’ve never been an option.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 5:22 PMFrom what I’ve read people can prefer pink or brown noise based on individual taste, kind of like music styles 🙂
Rachel
May 5, 2015 at 6:08 PMHi,
I couldn’t find another place to ask about your ebook. I would like to know if you have included the recipe of soap making, such as sea mud soap, in your book. Thanks.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 7:27 PMIt does have a recipe for coconut oil soap and rosemary mint soap, but not the sea mud soap in particular.
Boiling
May 5, 2015 at 8:46 PMI am surprised by how many people see the need to complicate sleep.I don’t see why we need machines making noise to help us sleep. If we get out kids hooked onto these kind of machines, does it mean that in the future, they cannot travel anywhere or sleep without something producing white or pink noise in the background?
I just try to reduce the noise in my bedroom and sleep. yes, the fan is on because it is hot not because I need a noise. Occasionally there is thunder. If it wakes me, it does. I do not think humans slept in a complete cocoon with no noise or a “white” noise environment. Just like the reearch about white noise was proved wrong, what will you do if the research about pink noise is superceded as being bad and blue noise comes in as better? I have never know anybody in Asia use these kind of things to make their children or adults sleep!
On the other hand what about those people who want to avoid all EMFs? Why have electrical devices on when sleeping?
Boiling
May 5, 2015 at 8:48 PMMany people do sing lullabys to make kids go to sleep but that stops over time.
Heather
May 5, 2015 at 11:42 PMI don’t personally think it’s that we complicate sleep. Rather, I think that many of us are out of tough with certain natural rhythms that assist with sleep, and we seek to restore that connection.
In nature, we sleep in complete darkness much of the time, except when the moon is full. Our circadian rhythms even sync with the moon. However these days, most of us cannot sleep without curtains because light from street lamps and other homes shines in, thus suppressing melatonin production. In order to protect our circadian rhythms, we have to simulate our natural environment with curtains (or even blackout curtains). The Sleep Genius is a way to simulate the auditory environment we would be exposed to if we slept outdoors, only the delivery form is music instead of the sound of crickets, etc. The principle is organized sound that organizes the brain instead of noise.
A
January 6, 2016 at 11:40 AMThen wouldn’t it make most sense to play a recovering if crickets? Nothing doctored, just a recording of nature.
Natalie
May 7, 2015 at 9:03 AMSome nervous systems are more sensitive than others. Especially children (and adults) with trauma or special needs. The white/pink/brown noise helps them calm their vigilance with intrusive noise. It isn’t a complication, more of a tool to help preserve restorative sleep. Which is imperative for healing physically and emotionally.
Ana
May 5, 2015 at 11:26 PMWe also use a Dohm white noise machine – chosen because the sound is naturally generated (rushing air) not static or a recorded loop. Very interested to hear what the verdict is on this type of sound when the reply comes back from Alex Doman. Thanks for the article 🙂
Heather
May 6, 2015 at 11:20 AMAna, here’s the gist of what Alex had to say:
Fans, air conditioners, humidifiers produce an “approximation” of white noise, not actual white noise which is every audible sound frequency at equal intensity. The dohm has an internal fan, so it too is an “approximation” of white noise. White noise has been generalized as a term to describe sound that blocks other sound, although that is not the strict technical definition.
The Scientific Article mentioned in post looked at the ambient noises that devices (not white noise machines, but everyday devices) produce and found that a stress response occurred in some people. So, yes, these devices may contribute to elevated cortisol in some cases, as the Scientific American article states.
Note from Heather – Here’s my personal opinion: Some of these devices may emit lots of high-pitched sounds, while others may not. I think they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 🙂
Genevieve
May 6, 2015 at 9:20 PMLove this post! Thank you for all of your amazing research and follow up via the commenter’s questions. You give us a lot to consider as we think about how we soothe our babies to sleep. Keep rocking it!
Jaime
May 7, 2015 at 1:31 AMI have been using an app called Mindwave2 for over a year now to help me wind down at night and fall asleep. It uses Isochronic beats instead of Binaural beats (which you really need to have headphones to utilize). It was only .99 in the app store if I remember correctly. I also like that there are beats that are at a higher frequency that can make you feel energized or help with headaches.
Rachel
May 7, 2015 at 5:23 PMFollowing for the answer to the fan questions! Thanks!
Brian
May 7, 2015 at 9:25 PMI followed your link to the intellibed website, entered the coupon code and received the 10% off, but I didn’t see any sign of a free sleep genius. Am I missing something? Thanks for your post!
Heather
May 7, 2015 at 10:10 PMI’m so glad you found it helpful! The Sleep Genius is automatically included when you enter the coupon code before May 31st 🙂
Katherine
May 12, 2015 at 5:08 PMI asked them about this in an email, and apparently the child mattress that I was ordering didn’t qualify for the Sleep Genius.
Heather
May 13, 2015 at 5:18 PMHi Katherine! I’m so sorry that I misunderstood their offer. I emailed them and asked them if they could clarify so I could make sure to update my post, and when they emailed back they said they’d decided to go ahead and send a Sleep Genius to anyone ordering the child mattress as well. Hooray!
Alyson
May 8, 2015 at 11:04 AMHi Heather. I’ve been following Mommypotamus for many years – I am a huge fan of your work. Lately though I’ve become wary of bloggers that give us discount codes for their “favorite” products – b/c clearly you are getting something in return from the company for giving us this discount. I get that everyone needs to generate income, but how do we know that this mattress company you are recommending is really the best? How do we know that the research you did about whether it contains toxic materials or not is not biased? It would be really helpful if you could explain how you come to decide to endorse something, and even how that product is holding up in your household. Thanks for all that you do.
Heather
May 8, 2015 at 6:16 PMHi Alyson, thanks for your question – it’s a really important one. I’m not sure if you caught the drama, but after researching essential oils for over six months last year I finally endorsed a company, then a week later another company – Plant Therapy – announced a partnership with Robert Tisserand, an essential oil expert whose expertise and safety advice I deeply respect. I had spoken extensively with Plant Therapy and loved how much effort they put into educating their customers about safe use, but decided not to endorse them because they were a young company and I just wasn’t sure they had the experience to properly interpret GC/MS reports and other indicators of quality. Of course, once they announced that Tisserand would be overseeing their quality that concern was put to rest, so I switched my recommendation to them.
Because of a contract I’d previously signed, the only way that I could recommend them was to do so without accepting any money at all. No sponsorships, no affiliate links, nothing, for six months. I happily did it even though it made it harder to cover the costs of running Mommypotamus, because I always have and always will put the families I serve over profits. As I write this Plant Therapy doesn’t even have an affiliate program. I link to them on Amazon, but those recommendations generate significantly less than what I would earn with other companies. I’m okay with that 🙂
The reason I bring this up is that usually these decisions go on behind the scenes and I never mention them. That particular situation played out publicly, which is why I thought it might be relevant to you. When I was shopping for a bed I was offered a free organic mattress with no strings attached, but instead I opted to purchase my mattress from intelliBED. My reasoning was simply that it was the mattress I wanted for my family, my baby, and my older kids. I decided to become an affiliate for them after actually trying and loving their bed, which since you asked I should mention is still one of my favorite purchases ever.
Though it’s a little different, I’d like to mention one more thing. I signed up with an ad network to help cover my costs, but then I found out there was no way to block infant formula ads on my articles about breastfeeding. Formula companies are notorious for offering “helpful advice” that sabotages a mother’s effort to breastfeed, and I want no part in that. For that reason I decided not to run ads until I can find a better solution.
For me this is all about trust. I put info out there for consideration and reflection, and I trust my readers to know what is best for their families. When I include an affiliate link, it’s an opportunity for those who found the info useful to support the site by purchasing through it. If the info wasn’t useful or relevant, no problem! Doesn’t hurt my feelings at all 🙂
Alyson
May 9, 2015 at 4:38 PMHi Heather,
Thank you so much for answering my question! I do remember the essential oil drama, and was glad I read that article with your recommendation before you took it down. I have bought some oils from plant therapy because of you.
The bed issue is challenging for me, mostly because I feel so strongly that my family sleep on something non-toxic and also because of a back issue that makes it hard for me to get comfortable – especially with squirmy kids around. I’m glad to know you are still happy with your bed, that helps a lot.
Again, thank you for being so upfront in your reply and thank you so much for the work you do and the information you put out there.
Ginger C
May 10, 2015 at 3:02 AMIt’s 3 am, the white noise machine is bugging ME… This article really explains why I always feel like I’m hearing some high-pitched noise just barely in audible range. But when I was ready to jump in and buy the app RIGHT NOW… It’s only for Apple ios 🙁 I have an Android. Any chance of an Android version, or even a cd that could play on an existing sound system as another budget option?
Cydne
May 14, 2015 at 2:07 PMhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sleepgenius&hl=en
This looks to be the same company, on Android. It says it is compatible on my old HTC phone. Even better, the Android version is FREE.
Becky
May 14, 2015 at 11:28 PMI recently read that binaural sounds had to be played in each ear separately so that each ear hears a different sound. This does not sound in sync with nature to me. I also started reading some of the titles of the binaural music and how each one would change a person. I don’t know if I want music to have that much influence over me when I am not even awake to be aware of it. You mentioned binaural sounds as part of the genius sounds. Is there any way to know if there are sublingual messages that might not be a message we would choose if it was put into words? I would love to find help with sleep for our family but I am nervous about this.
Elise A.
May 15, 2015 at 9:11 AMYou might also look into the app “Calm.” If you don’t use iOS it’s available on android. It has the option for noise and also has meditations. I LOVE it and it has helped drastically with sleep, anxiety, depression, etc. Between it and EO’s I am a whole new person.
Beth
May 16, 2015 at 5:11 PMwhat about sleeping with ear plugs? I sleep with ear plugs every night to block out sound and it works really well for me.
Cindy
May 21, 2015 at 3:04 PMMy kids have slept with a fan on in their rooms since they were babies. The fans keep air floor moving, the room cooler and it does help block out noise from the neighborhoods. They all have great sleeping habits. As far as having any effect on their brains…we have not noticed anything. My two oldest have graduated from High school with honors and currently at top notch colleges. Our youngest is following in their footsteps. They are all healthy and happy kids so I for one have not experienced any problems with using a fan in their or our rooms. The new apps maybe great for sleep but other facts come into play as well….room temp, stuffy rooms vs air flow, going to be hungry, caffeine and light vs. a dark room, pillow comfort etc.
Jen
May 21, 2015 at 3:56 PMThanks for another interesting and informative post, Heather. How does one purchase the Sleep Genius Sound System on it’s own?
Kaylyn
May 21, 2015 at 5:31 PMHeather,
Do you know if the Sleep Genius is similar to Holosync?
JIll
May 21, 2015 at 10:03 PMDoesn’t sleeping with an I phone present EMF issues? I try to turn my I phone off and keep it in another room at night. I thought you recommend and do the same?
Heather
May 22, 2015 at 8:45 AMHi Jill, that’s a great question 🙂 As I mention in the post, “Another thing to consider is that the speaker system is completely wired, which means it emits no radio-frequency EMFs. If your going to use the phone app, I suggest turning it to airplane mode before going to sleep.”
Jennifer
May 22, 2015 at 5:18 PMOh oops, I just saw this! LOL disregard my question. 🙂
Marisa
May 23, 2015 at 2:52 PMI’ve read that plugged in electronic devices (lamps, etc.) still emit EMFs. Is this different from radio frequency EMFs? Is it less harmful, so not necessary to avoid? Thank you!!
Heather
May 23, 2015 at 6:53 PMHi Marisa, yes they do emit ELF (extremely low frequency) emf’s, but not the RF radiation that cell phones and wifi devices do. I keep our Sleep Genius on the opposite side of the room from where we sleep. Everyone will have a different comfort level, but for us the benefits far outweigh the downsides.
Marisa
May 23, 2015 at 7:02 PMThank you so much!! I’ve been reading “A Silent Electronic Spring” by Katie Singer, and after being very overwhelmed and worried, I’ve been going through our home making what changes I can. Your insight helps a lot as I figure out what we CAN do!
Jennifer
May 22, 2015 at 5:17 PMHi Heather,
This App sounds great, but I worry about the EMF radiation emitted by the iPhone. That’s why I don’t allow any electronics in the bedroom. What do you think is worse, the high-pitched white noise or the waves put out by the phones? Thanks!
Ben
June 1, 2015 at 3:14 AMIf you’re concerned about EMF, then I’d suggest you put your phone on Flight Mode. This disables the antenna so turn the phone into an ipod. All it then emits is some extremely minor electrical output. Not nearly enough to be concerned about.
However, I feel I should point out that a lot of the EMF paranoia is completely onfounded and most people are being taken advantage of. Cases like Pong and the Bodywell chip are a total sham and really shouldn’t be allowed to sell their products. But people buy them because they believe the EMF transmitted by phones is a problem – which it isn’t. It’s non-ionising radiation – therefore the body doesn’t retain it. A mobile tower, or ADSL exchange, on the other hand can melt your brain with over exposure. And yes, I can back this up. I think the anti-EMF trend is the new Soy – and we should all know by now how bad Soy is for you.
Bluetooth on the other hand – well, if that’s left on it, burns a hole in my pocket. Just kidding but I can feel a weird sensation in my bum if it’s left on and in my back pocket. So avoid using this whenever possible in my opinion.
Wendy
October 11, 2017 at 2:04 AMThis was the best thing I have read all day. 🙂
Ben
June 1, 2015 at 2:00 AMInteresting article. But I have to ask how much commission you’re getting from Sleep Genius as you haven’t mentioned any other products or apps that are available.
I use the Relax Melodies app from the iTunes store – it’s less than $5 for the Premium app and works really well. I cannot recommend enough their binaural beats section. They have aso recently added some guided meditations, which I haven’t needed to use. The binaural beats work well enough for me.
The only thing that’s missing is being able to set a timer for the different beats so you can go from pre-sleep to dreamless sleep to dreams over a period of time. So I guess it’s not as sophisticated as the Sleep Genius but that’s no reason to not mention it, and the other apps.
It’s also available on the Google Play store.
Heather
August 1, 2018 at 11:02 PMI’m not an affiliate for Sleep Genius
Barb
January 9, 2016 at 2:06 AMIn lieu of speakers, you could try “sleep phones”; they’re soft headband-style ear phones. I have a pair and they’re good, if a little pricey. I’m going to give the app a whirl along with these.
sheryl
January 17, 2016 at 6:35 PMHi,
Do you keep the Sleep Genius on continuous play all night long? It shuts off after a while but my daughter will wake up during the night if there isn’t any noise blocking the outside noises?
Thanks!
Heather
January 17, 2016 at 11:41 PMYes, I keep it on continuous play 🙂
Caiti Carickhoff
February 15, 2016 at 8:32 AMI used a fan for my son for 12 months as white noise. After doing some researching on the internet, I purchased an EMF reader and found that the EMF was really high in his crib due to the fan being on. Now I’m extremely worried that I put my son at risk by using a small fan. Is there anything you can say to calm this mom’s nerves? EMF throughout the house during the day is extremely low, but my little guy sleeps 16 hours/day.
Benjamin
April 20, 2016 at 11:04 AMCould you provide references to the research papers? I’m interested in exploring the research on this topic.
I moved in with my girlfriend, and she is the type that insists on sleeping with a fan (she also has adhd.) I notice that the fan bothers me, and I’m leery about it messing with my sleep. We’ve really been butting heads about this because she insists that “I’ll get used to it.”
Cindy
May 26, 2018 at 10:24 AMMy husband insists on a noisy fan running at night to drown out the hearing damage he’s done to his ears. I was raised sleeping in a quiet room and the fan wakes me repeatedly during the night. Don’t marry this girl—this is not a “we’ll compromise” issue. I don’t think the racket at night is healthy, regardless of what it does to my sleep. Please parents, do not raise your children to be dependent on noise to sleep—they are going to make someone miserable one day.
Jana
December 8, 2016 at 2:04 PMDo you think the Sleep Genius would also help with apartment living…we have an upstairs neighbor with a large dog who clamors around at various hours of my toddler’s bedtime, as well as a loud truck or motorcycles driving by sometimes AND wooden stairs outside our apartment! ? She wakes up crying too often because of these disturbances.
Laura Copeland
December 12, 2016 at 2:37 PMVery interesting article! I’ve never thought about it being bad for them aside from the actual volume. I’m going to try this at nap time and transition them into it, even though we have a loud house I’m legitimately worried about them waking up to! I’m not sure if it has been asked or not, but what are your thoughts on having devices in rooms?? I can’t afford to have that system, but I also don’t want an iPhone in their rooms. I’m not a scientist but have heard enough about radiation that I didn’t want them sleeping near it at least. What are your thoughts on it? Do they sell CD’s?
Laura Copeland
December 12, 2016 at 2:39 PMoops- nevermind. I’m reading above…
Heather
December 29, 2016 at 11:03 AMHi Laura, I don’t think they have CD’s but one option is to use the iPhone in airplane mode so that it’s not emitting a signal.
tom
January 27, 2017 at 3:06 PMHi there .. My sister likes to use a white app on her mobile phone for her 11 week old baby.. but she then puts the phone 1-2 inches away from the baby’s ear.. I personally believe this to be to close for a developing baby’s ear but she disagrees.. seems to believe it is ok.. I believe it to be damaging and therefore a little cray . Can anyone help?
Wendy
October 11, 2017 at 1:55 AMI used a fan on low speed when my daughter was a baby. We had barking dogs and she was a light sleeper. It helped her get a full night of rest, wake rested, and be a happy girl because she was well rested. Not to sound like one of those “get off my lawn” people, but we can read so many scientific journals and studies to suck the fun out of spontaneous parenting…filling ourselves with fear that we aren’t doing things right, that we are going to hurt our child by using a fan on low, or feed them the wrong things and affect their brains.
Flash forward about 22 years. I realize this is anecdotal evidence and your mileage may vary…but I didn’t have to put all this effort into parenting then, though we did know a lot more than our parents did, thank goodness. Yay for seatbelts and safe car seats! 🙂 My daughter just graduated summa cum laude from college. With not one B for four years. She is a great kid with a great brain. Relax. Your kids are going to be just fine. 🙂
Wendy
October 11, 2017 at 2:13 AMPS— for every study saying one thing, there is a study saying just the opposite. A parent could confuse themselves with all the info they find on the internet. Here is a link from a reputable source that I find interesting.
https://www.cogneurosociety.org/whitenoise_bunzeck/
Juanfe
December 16, 2017 at 10:06 AMHi Heather,
The theory you endorse does not stand to close scrutiny and contradicts the actual experience of many people. This is what happens when people fish for information and then put it together in anyway they feel like. I think you and your references are blowing smoke out of their behind
my two cents
James
January 15, 2018 at 10:07 AMIf I’d known that this entire article was an advertisement, I wouldn’t have read it.
Alicia
February 3, 2018 at 7:34 AMIs brown noise ok for brain? That is what we use on the free white noise app. It seems lower in tone than white noise. Even our sleep consultant said white noise was too high pitched so we use brown.
Dwayne
February 6, 2018 at 1:47 PMWhen was this article written? There doesn’t seem to be a date on it.
James
September 26, 2018 at 12:12 PMI think a fountain chime is best… Analog, natural. But without a gravity feed, a pump can be noisy, and the predictability of output too metronomic. A crackling fire too arduous to tend! The guilt andfear that exposes itself to me in complete silence… I just confess, to a priest of course, hehe. One sheep, two sheep, wooly black sheep
Gail
October 9, 2018 at 9:32 AMThank you for so many folks sharing their experiences. and for this blog post.
I need to use ear plugs when I sleep to block all sound. and the best for me have been the Flents Quiet Time ear plugs which can be bought in small packs or 50 pair packs.
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I know other folks need to be able to hear their children or for some other reason cannot use these types of ear plugs. yet for some of us they are great.
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I’m an elder person with lifelong sensory processing challenges and Complex Post Traumatic Disorder, autistic and brain injured. and for over 30 years have used ear plugs while sleeping or napping.
and when I am in noisy stores blaring music as I shop.
I sometimes even use them during the day when I have lived in noisier dwellings with noisy neighbors and on busy streets.
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Some various offerings for those who read here:
Monroe Institute has some lovely offerings of which you may be interested. I began using their Human Plus series about a month ago. one of those is for sleep. which is pretty helpful.
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For anyone interested. there are sound insulating materials for buildings. for interior walls and exterior wall. I personally use Roxul insulation. they have one called Safe and Sound (for sound insulting and for fire protection), which may be called that or something different since when I purchased it years ago. Roxul/Rockwool.com…even their regular Comfortbatt insulation does a pretty darn good job and sound damping.
It completely blocked out the sound of a loud refrigerator on the other side of an interior wall, with my first use. so I found other ways to use it to quell sounds.
Blessings to all.
Jonathathan Mason
November 18, 2018 at 3:16 PMI am very sorry to say fat I found this article very contradicting I think you’re a really nice person but the truth is I have heard from reliable sources that it actually increases your function of your brain and helps you get alert when you wake up and on top at that white noise isn’t just limited to unatural sources The relaxing sound of actual waves or rain is still white noise so therefore white noise can be natural therefore white noise can not interfere with your sleep your brain does not fully meeting complete silence believe it or not contrary to belief why do you think sounds wake us up in the 1st place there are also sounds that your brain listens to all the time that helps it sleep there’s no such thing as a 100% quiet whoever told you that I can promise you was misinformed and buy them misforming you no offense thay made you misinformed Sorry but I just can’t agree with that it seems too much of a contradiction
Freya Pavitt
February 26, 2019 at 4:36 AMGreat post! Thanks
Maria
April 14, 2019 at 11:37 PMI never read so much nonsense in my life.