Best White Noise Machines for General Users

Unfortunately, despite other people’s short waiting-time to fall asleep faster, many people struggle sleeping even when they needed it the most especially during night time.  As a result, they tend to be dizzy in the … Read more

Written by:

Derek

Last Updated: Tue, January 1, 2019

Unfortunately, despite other people’s short waiting-time to fall asleep faster, many people struggle sleeping even when they needed it the most especially during night time.  As a result, they tend to be dizzy in the morning during their working time; perhaps, it does not only affect your work performance but at the same time the health they are protecting.   If you are looking for solutions to relieve this, maybe it is time to read for more information on “what is white noise” all about and how it could help you.

 

Why do you need a white noise machine?

White noise machine is a device that produces sounds with a variety of characters.   It could be in the form of rushing waterfall, wind blowing through trees and many more.  These machines with soothing sounds will help you fall asleep and stay asleep within the whole duration of your sleep.

Meanwhile, white noise itself contains many frequencies that have equal intensities.   It has an even distribution of all sound frequencies within the range of a person’s normal hearing.  The noise sound it has is like a hiss or a spray from an aerosol can. The sounds of white noise are higher-pitched within our ears because a human’s ears are more sensitive to higher frequencies.

Furthermore, people who have sleep disorders use this product to help themselves sleep tightly.  But how would you know that you have sleep disorders? If you are experiencing the following, think twice already because these are the sleep disorders symptoms:

–    Consistently taking up to more than 30 minutes of waiting time to fall asleep

–    Mood and behavior instabilities like irritability, aggression, or impulsiveness, even after having 7 or 8 hours of sleep during night time

–    Waking up several times in the middle of the night and remaining awake until morning comes

–    Having long naps during daytime

–    Difficulty in concentrating on working or school activities

–    Falling asleep at inappropriate times

–    Waking up too early in the morning

–    Excessive snoring, breathing or gasping noises while sleeping

–    Irresistible urge to move legs at bedtime

–    Requiring a stimulant to keep you awake during daytime

These warning signs are quite alarming because it will affect your sleeping situation and later your health. Moreover, within the list of sleep disorders, these are the most common sleep disorders which many people experience due to excessive, inappropriate sleeping time during daytime:

–    Insomnia

–    Snoring

–    Sleep apnea

–    Narcolepsy

Although there are many types of sleeping disorders, the above mentioned are commonly agonized by many people due to the chances of getting proper sleep during night time, by such, if the smoothness of evening sleep is a concern, people use sleeping machines as sleep disorder treatment especially for those situations which are not severe that needs medical attention.  

Thus, the sleep conditions of these people make it difficult to fall and stay asleep.  Their sleep disorder blocks the sleep quality they could have enjoyed. In line with health, sleeping at night is very important because it has a significant role in your physical health.  It also involves in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Once you have ongoing sleep deficiency, chances are: it is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke.

It was shown in recent findings of a research that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that builds up while you are awake.  As you sleep, your mind and body are remarkably active. That is why for you to take a sleep which your body needs, white noise should intervene in your ways of treatment too, to help you with this state of sleep condition.  

White noise machines will help you sleep better

In simple terminologies, white noise has a particular type of sound signal that is used to mask background sounds.  Additionally, if you will use white noise to promote healthy sleep, it will help you drown out sounds that prevent you from both falling asleep or staying asleep.  The production of white noise by the use of the machine could make give you a hassle-free way of listening to it.

The white noise machine has a soothing and fuzzy soundtrack which other people can rely on to sleep and block out distractions.  The relaxing white noise becomes the favorite way to help the brain and body relax for the quality of sleep during night time.

Several medical people have testified the use of white noise to the betterment of sleepers’ sleep.  One of them is Joseph Ojile, M.D., the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Clayton Sleep Institute, claimed that the white noise has a function that is anti-noise.  It merely means that it is excess noise. The sound it has distracts the brain; however, you do not need to give focus on it, which makes people fall asleep.

The sleep sounds that the white noise machine could have like nature sounds such as rain, sea waves, cricket chirping, jungle, etc., machinery noise such as air conditioning units, washing machine, and ambient soundscapes such as aircraft interior, cracking campfire and crowd noise can be your options to choose from. As Shalini Paruthi, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Director of the Pediatric Sleep and Research Center at Saint Louis University, recommended that a person should take note to whichever of these sounds that make you sleep because the effectiveness of the noise comes down to personal preference still.

Most of the time, people choose the calming white noise because it is a good vibe for a bedtime routine.  Generally, the background noise sound effects give a setting on your brain to give you a good night sleep.  In totality, noise sound helps you to get a night of better sleep during night time. As science-related reviews have claimed that the idea of sound machines helps reduce awakenings; thus, falling asleep within five minutes.  Indeed, the white noise machine can make you sleep better.

Reminders when using a white noise machine

The suggestion of pediatric sleep consultant, Jennifer Schindele, enclosed that using environmental noise and white sounds can disrupt sleep.  Furthermore, sound machines can indeed help not only kids but also adults.

But even so, the use of white noise machine should be taken into consideration to minimize irritation during rest due to too much noise.  Accordingly, controlling sounds in your environment is the utmost consideration that needs to be followed to have proper usage of sleep machine to enjoy quality sleep. It includes:

1. Reducing Inside Noise

In this, contemplate on what is inside your room.  Upon using white noise, you need to make sure that it creates a consistent gentle soundtrack if it hits the middle of the night.  If so, be mindful of the volume. The following are the decibels with its corresponding sleep impact:

Decibels   Sleep impact
25db It has little to no effect on sleep for many people.
35db It has the possibility of awakening, body movements, arousals, or sleep disturbance.    
45db It has risk on health.  Noise at this level may affect negatively to most people.
55db This is considered to be dangerous for public health.  It increases annoyance and sleeps disturbance.

It only shows that the higher the decibels, the higher the impact on sleep it has.  Take into consideration that a white noise machine should not be too loud. Be guided with the vast difference in the findings of the sound levels of noise in night time and daytime.  

Take a look at the following:

–    Turn the television off before bedtime and turn loud sounds off on all smartphones or any other device you have inside your room except for the white noise machine.  So expect that your machine will be the leading sleeping sound noise you will only have.

–    If your room is divided by thin plywood between a living room or any wall shared room, place large bookcases against your wall to act as the sound buffer.  

2. Reducing Outside Noises

In this, the noises you need to consider that will possibly disturb you are outside your vicinity.  Before you use the white noise machine, make sure to check the following:

–    If your bed is within the walls of the window, try to move it away from it because the draft will surely hinder your sleep.  

–    If you have double-pane windows or heavy blinds, use it to cover further the noise levels of outdoor activities.

–    If you have an extensive space, try using earplug.  

Controlling the sound of your environment can help the highest level of effectiveness in using a white noise machine.   By merely taking a look with the inside and outside noises, which could be factors of the less effectivity of the device you are using, could address possible simple concerns that may take place.  

How to use a white noise machine to have a better sleep?

Although some of the devices have manuals that stipulated the procedure on how to use it, there are also machines that upon purchasing, the manual is not available.  So to help you with the possible concern you might have, the following are the general steps to manipulate the machine better.

  1.    Turn on your white noise machine. Upon turning your device on, if it has an auto-off timer, set it automatically so that it will not bother you upon getting a night of deep sleep.
  1.    Make sure that the sounds of the machine stay continuous.  If you are easily distracted by a sudden change of what is happening in your environment, chances are, you will be awakened with the loops of the machine.  That is why; make sure that your white noise will play continuously.

These general procedural manipulations of your white noise machine will help you receive the maximum performance that your device can offer.  But you need to make sure that before you purchase, the feature that the brand provides fit to the personal preference and convenience that you need so that your effort of buying and the investment of your money will not be wasted.

What are the benefits and risks in the brain while using this product?

For a worker, a parent, a student, or whoever it may be, sleep gives so much to boost our body during daytime activity.  If you have hesitation to the possible consequence or likely outcome that the product could result, the following are your guide to the white noise pros and cons to adults.

Benefits of White Noise Machine

  1. It can be used for meditation.  If you are doing yoga, it is recommended to apply white noise so that it will lead you to a deeper state of meditation.
  2. It relieves sleeping disorder.  Since many people are distressed with their sleeping disorder, the sound from the device can be a useful tool especially for people with insomnia.  It is because the white noise itself will combat sleeplessness or restlessness.
  3. It relaxes patients.   Upon playing the sound, it can loosen the hypnotherapist patients.
  4. It increases productivity.  Due to the soothing and pleasing sound of the power of white noise, it can enhance someone’s productivity.
  5. It improves concentration.  Whatever you might be doing, your work efficiency and focus improves because it prevents outside disturbances.
  6. It is suitable for taking attention.  The sounds will draw out your attention without disturbing your emotional quotient.
  7. It can develop mental clarity. Relaxation of your mind will be achieved because it will remove your mental disturbances and confusion.

Risks of White Noise Machine

  1.    Sleep Machine Dependent.  Once you have used it every night, it means you are making the machine as your prop for your sleep training – which should not be.  Use the sleep machine with an alternate or interval days of usage. Do not use it every night so that your brain will not be dependent on the device.   
  2.    Hearing Issues.  If you do not control the volume of your machine if you use it, there is a greater chance that the outcome would be hearing issues.  So, to prevent this from happening, use the device’s sound with moderation.

You need to take note that risks you could acquire have several factors to consider still.   It may be the age, sensitivity of hearing, and the application of the white noise machine that lead you to the possible condition that you will experience after several usages of the device.   

Best white noise machine for general sleep

Before you buy a white noise machine for sleep, take a look with the features that it offers with the corresponding reviews, pros and cons, and its product overview.  By scrutinizing these, your expected outcome will be achieved. Thus, the following are the recommended comparison of the devices starting from the best down to the runner-ups.

White Noise Machine Brand     Features Cons
LectroFan – 10 fan sounds

– 10 ambient noise including white noise, pink noise, and brown noise

– Masks disruptive environmental noise

–    Built-in timer

–    Solid-state design

–    AC or USB powered

–    Volume control   

–    Does not run on batteries
Marpac Dohm –    Two speeds – dual speed motor, unique asymmetrical fan, and acoustic housing

–    On/off button

–    AC powered   

–    No built-in timer

–    One way power only

Big Red Rooster   –    6 high-quality natural sleep sounds: rain, brook, ocean, thunder, white noise, summer night

–    Masks background noises

–    Optional timer to be set for 15, 30, or 60 minutes

–    It can be powered by an AC adaptor or 3 AA batteries.

–    Buttoned volume

  –  No last memory in terms to the volume and sound used.
Sound Oasis S-5000 –    145 sounds possibilities: 24 main sounds and 5 mix sounds

–    AM/FM stereo radio

–    4 position auto shut off timer: Play sound continuously or auto shut off gently after 30, 60 or 90 minutes with gentle off.

–    With memory button replay

–    3 built-in speakers: 2 front and rear subwoofer

–    Dual voltage adapter

 –   A bit expensive
HoMedics  SS-2000G –    6 soothing sounds

–    Compact and portable

–    Auto-timer off with 3 options: 15, 30, or 60 minutes.

–    Powered by 4 AA batteries or an AC adaptor  

 –   Sounds can be repetitive

 

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