Why Some People Need Noise to Sleep

In today’s modern world we are surrounded by loud noises everywhere we go, on the subway, on the highway, in our cities- everywhere! While some people find this constant sound to be distracting, especially when trying to sleep, others not only enjoy it, but crave it.

Why do some people need a constant sound while sleeping? Because it is comforting to them, especially if they grew up in big, loud environment like the city. These people are so used to having noise all around them all of the time that, when in silence, they can’t fully relax. It’s slightly unnerving to them, and they crave some type of noise to help them sleep.

Nowadays, while not suggested by most sleep institutes, TV’s are the most common type of “noise emitter” that people use. Many people have TV’s in their bedroom, so they just turn it on before they go to bed, whether or not they’re actually going to watch it. The noise it makes is just enough to help them easily drift off to sleep.

One popular white noise device is the Marpac Dohm-DS – It is the official Sound Conditioner of the National Sleep Foundation. It also get phenomenal ratings on Amazon. I personally have 2 machines. While I am no physician I do work with a lot of customers who have also had the same positive experience with this device. I use in my master bedroom the other I keep in the spare bedroom for when my wife and I are sick and don’t want to wake the other. We also pack the extra machine to use whenever we travel. It is the best I have found for masking noise and really helps when the room is too quiet.

Some people however, take a different approach to making noise, some people listen to the sounds of ocean waves and rainforests, via a CD or mp3 track.  I have a friend that prefers this method, they say it’s just because they’re not a fan of 4a.m. infomercials!

On the other side of this discussion, some people, mostly those who grew up in the country, need silence in order to sleep. No white noise machines for them. They keep their TV’s off, and sometimes even wear earplugs to insure they don’t hear any unnecessary noise!

Whatever you prefer, be it silent nights or a partners rhythmic snoring, the great thing about living in this era is that there are simple ways to achieve your ideal sleep! Goodnight, and sweet dreams!