We've got some interesting news from the world of sleep research. A recent study has taken a close look at the effects of white noise on children's development, and the findings are pretty eye-opening. But don't worry—we're here to break it down for you.

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The Impact of White Noise on Children's Development

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Of course, even for us, it is easy to react quickly to the latest white paper that flashes across the internet as the next viral sensation. We’re going to take an objective approach to this and try to determine what is actionable.

If you live under a rock, white noise is a type of sound that includes all frequencies at equal intensity. Many parents use white noise machines or apps to help their children sleep to mask other sounds. These devices can be lifesavers for soothing fussy babies or creating a peaceful sleep environment.

What Did the Study Find?

Researchers reviewed numerous studies on the impact of continuous white noise exposure during sleep on both animals and children. Here's a summary of their key findings:

Volume Matters: Some white noise machines can get very loud, even exceeding safe noise levels for adults. This is concerning because prolonged exposure to loud noise can be harmful.

Potential Risks: High volumes of white noise may negatively affect auditory and cognitive development in young children. This means that if the noise is too loud or used for too long, it could potentially harm children's hearing and learning abilities. Things get worse when you use battery-operated units because a natural tendency might be to place the unit too close to baby’s head and the decibel level can increase or decrease quite a lot depending on how much space you provide.

Some Benefits: On the flip side, low-intensity white noise might actually be beneficial for sleep. It can help children fall asleep and stay asleep without the negative effects associated with louder noise levels.

What Should Parents Do?

Keep It Low: If you use a white noise machine, make sure to keep the volume at a low, comfortable level. Aim for less than 70 decibels—about the volume of a normal conversation. A quick tip: the decibel scale is not intuitive. For example, On the decibel scale, the quietest audible sound (perceived near total silence) is 0 dB. A sound 10 times more powerful is 10 dB. A sound 100 times more powerful than near total silence is 20 dB. A sound 1,000 times more powerful than near total silence is 30 dB, 40 dB, and so on.

Time It Right: Avoid using white noise all night long. Try to limit its use to when your child is falling asleep and then gradually reduce the volume or turn it off. We use the Hatch Rest+ and love the ability to program sequences. Ours will play white noise at 40% volume for 1 hour (which works for us based on the distance of the unit) and then it transitions to brown noise at 30% and brown noise is already much quieter frequency than white noise.

Check the Device: Make sure the white noise machine or app you use is adjusted to the appropriate volume settings and doesn’t exceed safe noise levels. There are some reasonably reliable decibel apps to get an idea of the volume based on your baby’s head location.

Looking Ahead

The study suggests that more research is needed to find the optimal intensity and duration of white noise exposure for children. In the meantime, some experts believe that regulating the maximum volume of white noise machines could be beneficial.

So, while white noise can be a helpful tool for better sleep, it's important to use it wisely. Keep the volume low and be mindful of how long it's on. Your child's sleep (and development) will thank you!

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Hatch Rest+ Baby & Kids Sound Machine

The Hatch Rest+ is a fantastic multifunctional device for parents seeking a reliable white noise machine, nightlight, and audio baby monitor all in one. It transitions easily from a sound machine and nightlight for infants to a time-to-wake trainer and alarm clock for toddlers. The Rest+ offers eight soothing white noise options and three lullabies, for a calming sleep environment. Its nightlight is customizable, allowing you to adjust colors and brightness via the app, which also lets you set schedules and control the device remotely.

A standout feature is the toddler lock, preventing little hands from changing settings. The two-way audio monitor is particularly useful for older kids, enabling you to communicate with them from another room. As we mentioned above, we really like the app routines and sequences to pre-program transitions for white noise to slowly fade away in the night and ensure our baby becomes less dependent on white noise to sleep.

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