White noise isn’t necessarily bad for you. Like most things, it depends on how you use it. The volume and how close it is to you are what matter most.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). When you listen to white noise at 70 dB or below, it’s generally safe. That’s about the volume of a normal conversation or a running dishwasher. Volumes higher than this can put your hearing at risk.
When white noise is too loud or too close to you, it can damage your hearing over time. This happens the same way as any prolonged loud noise can. This is especially true if you’re exposed for more than 8 hours. Health experts recommend adults limit their weekly listening at 40 hours total, at no more than 80 dB.
White noise can also disrupt deep sleep, leaving you groggy even after a full night’s rest. And the tricky thing is that most white noise machines don’t have built-in volume limits.
Is white noise bad for kids?
For kids, the safe volume threshold is even lower — around 70 dB. Experts recommend that a child’s total listening time should not exceed 40 hours per week at75 dB.
White noise may be particularly risky for babies and toddlers. Animal studies found that continuous white noise exposure can slow the brain’s hearing development. This may delay key milestones in sound processing and language development.
Are there benefits of white noise?
Not all the news about white noise is bad. Research has uncovered some potential benefits as well.
Sleep
For adults, white noise may help reduce nighttime wake-ups caused by environmental noise. Across dozens of studies, it has been shown to help some people fall asleep faster and stay asleep during the night. A large review of randomized controlled trials also found that it may improve overall sleep quality in adults of all ages. That said, the evidence is mixed — not everyone responds to white noise in the same way.
Focus
At the right volume, white noise may improve attention, memory, and learning. One study found that it stimulates dopamine activity in the brain, which helps with taking in new information. Another study showed it helps people learn and retain new words.
ADHD
For kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), some research suggests that white noise may:
Improve reading speed
Reduce disruptive behavior
Sharpen attention
In some studies, the effect was comparable to stimulant medication when it came to performing thinking tasks.
Other benefits
White noise has also been used to:
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