Sounds play an important role in your baby’s first year. Your little one can even identify different sounds and respond to them before they are even born. The sounds that you expose your baby to from the moment they’re born will have a huge impact on their later development. The low-frequency sound produced by white noise will make it easier for them to fall asleep because it mimics the sounds of the womb. Here are some things you should know about playing white noise for babies:
White Noise: What is it?
White noise is the sound of many, random frequencies present at very low volumes. It is typically made up of a combination of all different frequencies between 0 and 2,000 hertz, or cycles per second. Because white noise is a mix of all frequencies, it doesn’t have a dominant tone that makes it stand out. As a result, it has a calming effect, helping to reduce anxiety and make you feel less stressed. There are two types of white noise: stationary and non-stationary. Stationary white noise is the constant sound of a fan or air conditioner. Non-stationary white noise, or ambient noise, is the sound of crickets, cicadas, or a room’s other usual noises, with the volume constantly lowered to the point of being inaudible.
How does white noise help a baby to sleep?
White noise may make it easier for your baby to fall asleep. This is because it has been found to have a similar impact on adults as music does: it releases certain chemicals in the brain, making you feel calmer and less anxious. White noise also helps babies to relax by mimicking the sound of their mother’s voice and heartbeat, which they heard in the womb. White noise can be especially useful for babies who wake frequently at night and need to fall back asleep quickly.
Is white noise safe for babies?
Luckily, white noise is considered to be a safe element for babies and young children. The low volume levels of white noise make it unlikely to cause any harm. There is little risk of white noise interfering with your baby’s hearing, either. However, some studies have found that regular exposure to white noise can impact your baby’s hearing as a result of the sound pressure levels of white noise. Therefore, it is recommended that if you play white noise for your child, keep the machine at least 7 feet away from their crib.
Before you go to sleep, play some white noise
If your baby is having trouble sleeping, try playing some white noise before you go to sleep. This can help to relax your baby and make it easier for her to fall asleep, so you don’t need to keep waking up every few hours to feed her. You can find many free white noise sounds online, such as nature sounds, waves crashing against a shore, crickets, or distant traffic. The best white noise for baby, however, is the one created by a mix of all the frequencies, in its similarity to the sounds of the womb. You can play these to your baby either by finding them online, or you could also buy a white noise machine to play different sounds.
Should you keep white noise on all night for babies?
As long as it isn’t too loud and is placed the correct distance from your child, leaving white noise on all night won’t impact your child negatively. However, you shouldn’t expect that once your child wakes up in the middle of the night, the machine should put them back to sleep. Babies wake up for a reason and you should still check on your baby, to check whether they need to be fed, a nappy change, or just a cuddle.
When should you stop playing white noise for your baby?
White noise should ideally be played at low volumes, around 30 to 60 decibels, and continuously. If your baby wakes up during the night, try to rock him or her back to sleep without turning off the white noise. If white noise is turned off abruptly, sometimes it can jolt the baby into wakefulness as a result of the shift into total silence. You might be wondering when to stop using white noise for a baby in general. There is no set time for this, but you might want to consider stopping after a year when your baby’s sleep habits are established.
Conclusion
White noise is the sound of many, random frequencies present at very low volumes, which makes it difficult to detect and reduces the risk of an ear infection. White noise can help your baby to relax and fall asleep by lowering your baby’s stress levels and making it easier for them to fall asleep. If your baby is having trouble sleeping, you can try playing some white noise before you go to bed, and you can place your baby near a fan or air conditioner while he is sleeping so that the low-frequency sound can help to calm them.