

It’s relaxing, too, like white noise, but is better for focusing and sharpening your memory, making it ideal for working and studying.

Pink noise has more energy in the lower sound registers (read: it’s louder and more powerful on the lower end), with more bass rumbles, like thunderstorms, wind, or flowing rivers. These machines are typically purchased for use at night, but some can be used in other settings to help you focus on work or studying for school, especially if they can play pink noise or other sound hues. Whether it’s something you struggle with every night or just on occasion when your surroundings are loud (think: loud neighbors, barking dogs, or heavy traffic), white noise machines can cancel out these noises and play random-generated sounds that help your brain let go and relax. Who Should Use White Noise Machines? Leszek Glasner/Īlthough anyone can buy a white noise machine if they feel it’ll benefit them, only those who have trouble falling-or staying-asleep at night really need them. It’s soothing to our brains because its equal-frequency distribution and constant noise drown out other sudden or inconsistent noises that can stimulate our brains, like a snoring partner. If you’ve ever fallen asleep with the fan running, during rainfall, or to static on the television, that’s white noise. White noise is a random flat-frequency signal that’s equally distributed across the audible frequency range (20-20,000Hz) at the same intensity level. Sound waves are measured in “frequencies,” or wave vibrations per second, and the size of these waves is referred to as “amplitude.” We measure frequency in hertz (Hz) and amplitude in decibels (dB). It should also have a small footprint that doesn’t take up that valuable space on your nightstand or in your suitcase if you need to bring it with you when you travel.

You’ve likely heard of white noise machines and understand that they can help you fall asleep, but how exactly do they work? And, what features should you be looking for when shopping for one for your home? We’ve got the details:

The Noise Machine You Already Have: Google Home or Amazon Echoīest Overall: Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFanīest Premium Pick: Sound+Sleep High Fidelity Sleep Sound Machineīest Affordable Option: Big Red Rooster 6 Sound Machineīest Fuss-Free Pick: Pure Enrichment Wave Premium Sleep Therapy Sound Machine What to Look for in a White Noise Machine
