As we touched on, white noise machines can be notably beneficial for babies and young children who find it hard to fall asleep. Sleeping difficulties can be caused by several factors, with the specific soundscape of a room or home being particularly influential.

These could be disruptive sounds, such as loud vehicles passing by or a noisy neighbour. Very sudden loud noises can also be particularly disruptive. Having white noise playing can help mask and soften these other ambient noises. 

The perceived peak of a sudden noise (e.g. a slamming door, accidentally dropping a plate, etc.) is reduced thanks to white noise machines creating a more stable baseline for the sounds a baby hears.

Conversely, if a baby’s sleep environment is too quiet, to the point where it can feel almost unbearably silent, this can impact their sleep quality as well. As babies are used to the sounds of their mother’s womb or resting on their parents and hearing their heartbeat and stomachs, white noise can fill in that gap when they’re at rest.

It offers a comforting, consistent soundscape that can be highly effective at calming them and readying them for rest.

So, if you find your baby has a hard time falling and staying asleep due to excessive external noises or a severe lack of any ambient sound, we highly recommend considering a white noise machine.

White noise can be beneficial for people at any age in terms of helping them fall asleep more easily. However, there is genuine value in eventually weaning your young ones off white noise to help them adapt to sleeping in still, quiet environments.

If you do decide to wean your young ones off white noise, it’s best to do this bit by bit over time. 

For example, you can turn down the volume of the white noise one notch every night until it’s no longer audible and gauge your child’s response. If they’re still sleeping without issue, then you can eventually turn off the white noise altogether. However, if you start to notice your baby or toddler struggling with their sleep, it’s worth reintroducing the white noise.

Keep in mind that there are no negatives to a young child using white noise, so there’s no harm in continuing with it if they find it’s an effective tool for deeper, more restful sleep.