The White Noise Alternative Sleep Doctors Want You To Try ASAP ...Saudi Arabia

If you need help falling asleep or staying focused while working at home, you may be familiar with “white noise,” a type of sound that includes all audible frequencies. It’s pretty common and well-known: Almost 50 percent of Gen Zers use it to help them fall asleep. 

The research on white noise is mixed: While some studies found it has little benefit on sleep or could even interrupt sleep, others say it can reduce heart rate and respiratory rate, as well as mask outside noises that keep people awake.

You might have also heard of other “noise colors,” such as “brown noise” (helpful for reducing anxiety and boosting focus) and “pink noise” (which can help sleep), just to name a couple. They're typically perceived as deeper sounds than white noise.

But could something called “sound masking” be more beneficial than white noise? Doctors tend to think so. Ahead, they explain sound masking, its benefits and how it compares to white noise.?SIGN UP for Parade’s health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self?

The term is pretty self-explanatory, but let’s get a definition anyway. “Sound masking is controlled background sound to cover or mask unwanted sounds, like human speech or other distractions, by covering them up with added sounds,” says Dr. Meredith Broderick, MD, a triple board-certified sleep neurologist and Ozlo medical advisory board member.

The “sound masking” noise is more comfortable and pleasant; it fits into the background. White noise, on the other hand, can actually be loud and jarring in comparison.

Related: The Everyday Trigger You May Not Realize Is Harming Your Mental Health—and How To Beat It, According to Psychologists

How Sound Masking Helps With Sleep and Concentration

Basically, while sound masking is a noise, it’s a less distracting one. “Our brains are wired to notice changes in sound, such that random environmental sounds can cause a change in alertness and attention,” explains Dr. Hamid Djalilian, MD, a professor of otolaryngology, neurosurgery and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine and the chief medical advisor at NeuroMed Tinnitus Clinic. “Sound masking uses low-level sound to reduce this effect in our brain’s attention center.”

It can include a variety of “color noises,” he continues, such as white, pink and brown. 

Depending on your housing situation, you may hear a lot of sounds when you’re trying to go to bed: cars honking, the fan whirring, your roommate talking or your dog barking. Sound masking “masks” those other noises that can be intermittent and therefore more distracting. 

“When the brain is reflexively paying attention to sound onsets, it makes it harder to fall asleep,” Dr. Djalilian says. “Sound masking essentially blunts the effect of random sound onsets, making them less likely to arouse the brain during sleep induction.”

It can help with health conditions where the noise is internal, too, like for people with tinnitus. Dr. Djalilian says sound masking is especially important for those individuals because when they're trying to sleep, the tinnitus sound can feel magnified. 

Further, sound masking can help if the bothersome “noise” is mental. “It can also serve as a distraction from a racing mind or anxious thoughts,” Dr. Broderick adds.

Related: This 3-Minute Habit Could Help You Sleep Through the Night

Effect on concentration

Those effects can help with concentration for many of the same reasons. “Sound masking reduces distractions from intermittent sounds by using a consistent background ambient sound to cover up interruptions, such as people talking, smartphone notifications or other annoying sounds,” Dr. Broderick says.White noise, on the other hand, can actually do the opposite. Dr. Djalilian notes commercial sound machines often play at loud levels that can harm hearing and be counterproductive when you’re in bed or trying to get work done. “For focus and concentration, white noise may actually hinder performance unless it’s actively masking disruptive background sounds or the person has an underlying sensory gating condition, like ADHD,” he adds.

Related: The Surprising Morning Habit That Experts Recommend for Better Focus

YouTube has countless free recordings of “sound masking,” so that might be the first place to go. Phone apps can also help; Dr. Djalilian says one of his favorites is called A Soft Murmur. He’s also used an air purifier. While it’s even more subtle, it gets the job done *and* helps you breathe in cleaner air. 

Dr. Broderick’s go-to is the Ozlo Sleepbuds since they can be used anytime, are comfortable for side sleeping, and can be customized in case you share a bed.

Needless to say, you’ve got options. “In the end, what matters is not the specific sound, but whether it feels soothing and non-intrusive,” Dr. Djalilian concludes. “I usually advise patients to keep the volume low, just enough to cover unwanted noise.”

Up Next:

Related: Here's Exactly How To Track Your Sleep on Your Apple Watch

Sources:

Hence then, the article about the white noise alternative sleep doctors want you to try asap was published today ( Tuesday 07/10/2025 - 10:00 PM ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The White Noise Alternative Sleep Doctors Want You To Try ASAP )

Also on site :

• Stunning ISS Photo of Florida, Cuba Captures & 039;Moonglint& 039;
• A Shockingly Recent Year Just Cracked the Top 5 of Rock's Most Legendary Years
• Saudi-led coalition strikes Yemeni port over unauthorised weapons shipment