Problems of insomnia are a frequent reason for consultation in psychological and medical consultations. However, in some cases, some of these problems can be combated with what is known as white noise . Using this resource in the room where you are going to sleep, favours the possibility of remaining in a state of relaxation.

White noise: a solution for sleep

Many people have serious sleep problems . They lie in bed, get nervous, go to get a glass of water, try again … and the hours go by and they still don’t sleep a wink. The next day, they feel exhausted and don’t get up and go to sleep.

Luckily, there are some relatively simple strategies for better sleep. White noise is one of the preferred systems among many people who have trouble sleeping. What exactly is white noise? It is a constant noise that prevents other sounds and noises from invading our auditory perception.

When applied, this white noise at bedtime, helps to calm us down and to envelop us in a soothing and warm feeling .

Discovering the benefits of white noise

But what exactly is white noise? This sound integrates the entire spectrum of existing sound frequencies , harmoniously and without any frequencies standing out above others. As a result, we get a soothing noise that is the perfect mix of all existing sounds.

How does white noise sound?

It is difficult to describe a sound, but most people agree that white noise is very similar to that of an untuned television . When we don’t have any TV channels tuned in, we may see white, grey and black on the screen with an effect similar to rain or snow. You may also hear a noise very similar to white noise, a permanent murmur that sounds incessantly.

We can hear (and see) an example in this YouTube video:

White noise can also be heard in other appliances when they are in operation, although in this case we would not be talking about a noise as harmonious as pure white noise.

The health benefits of white noise

It is not something that science has studied in depth, but many people sing the praises of white noise . It seems that this noise has a great capacity to calm and tranquilize humans who are exposed to it, especially babies. Many people use a source of white noise to relax when they go to bed at night, because they say that hearing only this murmur helps them to fall asleep.

The white noise camouflages the other sounds and noises with which we live day by day . Noises from the neighbours, from cars passing in the street, from the rubbish truck, from household appliances… Noise pollution is a problem especially in big cities, a problem that worsens the quality of sleep of many people.

White noise has this capacity to reassure the listener, since it is a constant sound, similar to rain and wind, which has no great frights and therefore helps us to calm down.

Moreover, thanks to this resource, those elements of the environment that constantly but relatively unexpectedly produce sounds are masked, so they do not disturb. In other words, white noise prevents shocks and prevents attention from being focused on a specific external element, something that can lead to the appearance of a state of anxiety that is detrimental to the reconciliation of sleep.

White noise and tinnitus

Tinnitus (also known as tinnutus) is an auditory phenomenon that many people suffer from. They always hear a ringing in their ears (or even in “their head”) without any external source emitting this sound. This discomfort in hearing something that does not exist constantly can cause other symptoms, such as anxiety and insomnia.

People suffering from tinnitus clearly benefit from white noise . When they go to sleep, there is a lot of environmental silence and the tinnitus comes to the surface, it can be heard louder. This can lead to serious sleep problems. With white noise, people with tinnitus mask that perception, so they can rest much better.

Thus, the white noise makes the whole sound environment around the place where you go to sleep relaxing and lacking in shrillness, making the attention not focused on something specific, nor on the sound of the tinnitus.

We leave you with several white noise audio links for you to try out:

  • Pure white noise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLeEh-wIOAY
  • Waves of the sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQJsjMnnfT4
  • White noise and background music for babies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADc3nk_z-fY

Let’s hope that all this information about the rude white can help you rest much better, and avoid problems related to stress and insomnia. Sweet dreams!