The study compared pink noise, ordinary traffic noise, combinations of the two, and simple earplugs. Findings showed pink noise reduced REM sleep, and mixing it with real-world noise made sleep quality worse. Earplugs preserved deep restorative sleep better than the sound machine, especially in noisy environments. That pattern matters for children, whose brains are still developing and who depend on both deep and REM sleep for growth and emotional regulation.
If you or your child rely on a sound machine, this research invites practical questions about which sounds to use and when to use them. Could quieter options, different timing, or ear protection be smarter choices? Follow the link to read how these sleep sounds interact with real-world noise and what that might mean for healthy sleep, learning, and inclusivity in noisy homes and neighborhoods.
Sound machines may not be the sleep saviors many believe. Researchers found that pink noise significantly reduced REM sleep, while simple earplugs did a better job protecting deep, restorative sleep from traffic noise. When pink noise was combined with outside noise, sleep quality dropped even further. The results suggest that popular “sleep sounds” could be doing more harm than good—particularly for kids.
