What you don’t know about white noise that could hurt your child

More than half of Americans use some sort of background noise to help them fall asleep. People use tools like box fans, YouTube videos and designated white noise machines to drown out interruptions that could disturb their sleep. For new parents, the machines can help them, and their newborns, get a good night's sleep.

However, new research shows many of the white noise machines available are potentially too loud for infants' ears. A study published in Sleep Medicine measured the decibel levels of 24 white noise machines and apps. None of them are federally regulated.

The study found the devices did not have a decibel cutoff. Research showed a cutoff is necessary to safeguard their children's hearing.

"Those devices exceeded what is appropriate for hearing health for any individual, just walking around and living their life," researchers told ABC News .

A separate study by behavioral scientists found that white noise could even be the wrong “color” of noise for sleep . The spectrum of color noise classifies everyday noises and frequencies into colors. A running fan is considered white noise. Blowing wind is pink noise and the rumble of distant thunder is brown noise.

In a recent study researchers found white noise is a harsh frequency that “wakes the brain.” It acts as a stimulant, with minor improvements in task performance.

The researchers suggested if a person chose to use noise while they sleep, they should use pink noise. It is the color that more closely resembles frequencies the brain gives off during sleep.

However, evidence showed that using noise, like many other sleep aids, can be addictive and lead to poor sleep habits. Experts also said stopping any sleep aid cold turkey can have negative effects on everyday sleep quality.

The recommended method to wean a person or their child off of white noise is to decrease the volume incrementally until they no longer need it to sleep.

The post What you don’t know about white noise that could hurt your child appeared first on Straight Arrow News .