Why noise can help babies settle
Babies spend months surrounded by the steady whoosh of blood flow and the mother's body, so a quiet room can actually feel unusual to a newborn. A gentle, constant sound is familiar and calming, and it covers the household noises (a door, a dog, an older sibling) that can startle a baby awake.
The research is small but encouraging. In one well-known study of newborns, far more babies fell asleep within a few minutes with white noise playing than without it. Most parents simply find it makes settling a little easier, which is reason enough to try it.
Using noise safely
This matters more than which colour you pick. Tests of infant sleep machines found that some could get louder than recommended limits for babies when placed close to the cot at full volume. The researchers advised keeping machines as far from the cot as possible, at a low volume, and not running them at maximum.
- Keep the volume low. It should be no louder than a quiet shower heard from the next room. If you have to raise your voice over it, it's too loud.
- Keep the device well away from the cot. Across the room is ideal, never inside or on the edge of the cot. Keep cables out of reach.
- Never put a phone or tablet in the cot. Safe-sleep advice is to keep the cot clear of everything except the baby.
- Use the timer. Noise is most useful while your baby is falling asleep. A 30–45 minute timer with long fades lets the sound ease out once they're settled.
Which noise should you choose?
- White noise is the classic "shush" sound and the one most baby studies used. Keep it quiet, as its hiss can be sharp.
- Pink noise sounds like steady rain. It's softer than white noise and a good default.
- Brown noise is a low rumble, closer to the deep sounds heard in the womb. Some babies settle best with it.
- Grey noise is white noise with the harshest highs and lowest lows smoothed off, so it's gentle on small ears.
Suggested settings
Open any noise page and use the Sound Controls panel. These are good starting points for babies:
Practical tips
- Use a dedicated device if you can. The sound plays in your browser, and phones can pause it when the screen locks. An old tablet or laptop on charge, with the page left open, works well.
- Start the noise as part of the bedtime routine, at the same point each night (after the story, before the lights go out), so it becomes a sleep cue.
- Turn it down over time. If you'd like to stop using noise as your baby gets older, lower the volume a little each week rather than stopping suddenly.
Common questions
Is white noise safe for babies?
At a low volume, with the device kept well away from the cot, it's widely used and considered fine. The main risk is volume, which is why the advice above focuses on it.
Should white noise play all night?
Many families only use it for settling, with the timer switching it off. If your baby wakes when it stops, playing it all night at a very low volume is a reasonable choice. Ask your health visitor or doctor if you're unsure.
Will my baby become dependent on it?
Babies can get used to it as a sleep cue, the same as a song or a cuddle. If that's a worry, reduce the volume gradually over a few weeks.