WHY DOES BACKGROUND NOISE HELP US SLEEP, AND IS IT HEALTHY TO RELY ON IT?

New parents often put soft lullabies in their babies ‘ rooms to help them sleep!  Many adults fall asleep with the TV on or listening to music or podcasts.

Never mind essential oils or magnesium, for the last few years, background noise has been my preferred sleep aid.

Meditation apps are also very popular to help people initially fall asleep.

But why do some people need background noise to fall asleep or concentrate?

It’s all about distraction, according to one psychotherapist.  Using background noise to fall asleep allows you to focus on that and not things that might be on your mind.

But you have to choose your noise wisely as many background noises and environmental sounds can increase your stress levels which will significantly disrupt concentration.

For example, one study showed that listening to background music with lyrics can disrupt sleep while listening to sounds of nature can reduce distraction.

Unwanted background noises can increase cortisol and the stress hormone.  Ideally, experts say that the best way to sleep is without noise.

But if you must, it’s recommended to listen to music or speech with a 60-80 beats per minute (BPM) tempo.  This tempo roughly mimics the human resting heart rate is proven to induce physical and mental calm.

Podcasts can also be a good short-term solution to getting yourself to sleep.