Background Noise Machines Can Have Negative Impact On Sleep Quality: Study

Millions of Americans turn to pink noise machines for a better night’s rest, but new research finds these sleep aids could actually be making sleep quality worse. A study from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found that healthy adults who listened to pink noise at night lost nearly 19 minutes of crucial REM sleep, compared to nights spent in silence.

The research, published in the journal Sleep, observed 25 adults who had not previously used noise machines as sleep aids. During the study, participants slept under different conditions: silence, airplane noise, pink noise, airplane noise with pink noise, and airplane noise with earplugs. Adding pink noise to a noisy environment, such as simulated airplane noise, made things even worse—both deep and REM sleep were reduced, and participants stayed awake for 15 minutes longer than usual.

REM sleep, the stage linked to dreaming, memory, and emotional health, is considered especially important for children, who spend more time in this phase than adults do. Study lead author Mathias Basner explained, "REM sleep is important for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and brain development, so our findings suggest that playing pink noise and other types of broadband noise during sleep could be harmful—especially for children whose brains are still developing and who spend much more time in REM sleep than adults."

The study also found that airplane noise alone led to 23 fewer minutes of deep sleep per night, but earplugs helped counteract this effect. When pink noise and airplane noise were combined, participants reported waking more often and rated their overall sleep quality as poor.

Basner recommends avoiding pink noise and similar background sounds, especially for newborns and toddlers, and suggests earplugs, blackout curtains, limiting screen time, and other sleep hygiene practices instead. More research is needed on long-term effects and the safety of different types and volumes of background noise in sleep environments, especially for vulnerable groups.

For those struggling with sleep, experts recommend healthy habits like regular evening exercise and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.