There are many things that affect our sleep, whether they are internal or external factors. The CDC.gov finds that sleep issues are such a problem that they affect that 1 in 3 adults In the U.S. There are many reasons for this, with health website SymptomFind.com covering how difficult it can be to get some shut-eye in conditions that aren’t conducive for sleep. This can range from the temperature of the room to the type of bed you use. Another factor is noise. World Sleep Day mentions that noise can directly affect your quality of sleep, both in terms of helping and keeping you awake. In this post we examine why sounds affect our sleep so much.
Sounds and Sleep
Why do sounds have this effect? Loud noises like sirens or car horns are inevitable, especially if you live in a more urban area. These sounds are loud, and we are conditioned to be alarmed when we hear them. People who are sensitive to noises are likely to have difficulty sleeping if there are constant sounds. The reason you suddenly wake up to these noises is because you are not used to the sudden change in volume.
If you are the kind of person who falls asleep in a quiet room with no ambient noise, It's much easier for you to be jolted awake by the sudden environmental sounds. Those who fall asleep with background noise will less likely be disturbed by these noises. If you want to be able to sleep through the night, there are a few things you can do. One of them is to play white noise.
The Benefits of White Noise for Sleep
White noise is a mixture of different sounds, creating one homogenous tone. It is often used to create an ambient sound that won’t distract you from what you are trying to do. This makes white noise a perfect thing to listen to when you are trying to fall asleep as it won’t disturb you from your rest. Some even find it relaxing to listen to. In the article "Benefits and Uses of White Noise" several uses of white noise are discussed. On of which is that white noise can be used for sleeping as it is a “constant wall of sound” that allows light sleepers to snooze through sounds that would have normally woken them up. If you sleep next to someone who snores, white noise might help drown it out so you can get a peaceful sleep. It also mentions that white noise for baby sleep can definitely help your little ones, as they are accustomed to the loud sounds of being inside womb. There, sound levels can reach up to 75 decibels, so they sometimes find the quiet world outside the womb to be stressful. White noise can give them comfort, allowing them to sleep soundly. If you have a baby, then you know just how exhausting it can be having the unexpected awake periods. Getting a good night’s sleep is important because sleep is essential for being healthy. Sleeping less than the required number of hours can lead to irritability and lower cognitive function. In the long term, it can even cause high blood pressure and heart conditions. White noise is beneficial in many ways. Not only can you relax while listening to it, but you can also block outside noises that might wake you up. If you do struggle to sleep, consider making white noise sleep sounds part of your routine. For more information on sleep sounds you can check out some of our other posts here on Fade Away Sleep Sounds.
Written exclusively for FadeAwaySleepSounds.com
by Abbie Rupert