Expert explains why people can't sleep without noise
There are multiple reasons why you might struggle to fall asleep in the silence...
Many people have been using noise to help them fall asleep.
Some even list it in their dating profiles, saying that a must is having the fan on at night.
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Brown noise (bass-heavy notes) and white noise (static sound) are often used, but something as simple as a Spotify playlist or movie might also be put on as "background noise".
But why do so many people need some type of noise to fall asleep?
Doctors and sleep experts have shared that there are various reasons for this.
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1. Anxiety
If your mind is racing as you lie in bed, it can be difficult to fall asleep. Background noise can be calming, but silence can make minds race.
People who are anxious or who have racing thoughts may use sound and music to avoid looking inward and processing what their mind is telling them. Some people may avoid the silence because it forces them to have to sit uninterrupted with their stream of thoughts.
2. Masking disruptive noise
Something falling in the middle of the night or noisy roommates can cause disruptive sleep, so a different, more calming sound can help block that out.
White noise is particularly helpful for my patients with tinnitus, who find it preferable to focus on a sound that is distinct from the ringing they usually experience. It can also be beneficial for people living in urban areas that may have considerable noise pollution. It also has benefits for night shift workers, who may need to drown out daytime noise to sleep.
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3. You have ADHD
People with ADHD find that steady sounds help them relax and focus.
4. Silence is uncomfortable
We are constantly surrounded by sound and commotion, so it makes sense that as soon as there is silence, we become uncomfortable.
If you think about our society and the way communities are built, we are constantly surrounded or engulfed in sounds. People use external noise because they become accustomed to low levels of sound in the background and become uncomfortable in silence.
5. Familiarity
If you grow up surrounded by siblings or in a noisy city, it can be difficult to fall asleep in a place where familiar sounds no longer surround you.
Our brains, just like anything else, can be trained. Therefore, if a person starts to use noise to help them sleep, they will become accustomed to needing some type of stimulus to sleep.
6. Making you feel less alone
Similar to the other reasons mentioned, a lack of noise indicates that no one else is around, making you feel lonely.
This is especially true for someone who is extroverted or living on their own for the first time.
Some people are very afraid to be ‘alone’ and therefore feel that having a voice fill the silence is a way to feel like there are people ‘around'.
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If you want to have background noise, here are some helpful tips from the experts:
The type of noise can affect sleep quality. TV shows can have louder moments, and music can keep your mind busy instead of helping you drift off peacefully.
White noise is often a good choice because it masks annoying sounds and creates a consistent background that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Pink and brown noise, which have softer and deeper sounds, can also help you relax more.
Dr Patel also suggests Tibetan bowls, binaural beats (alpha and theta waves), chants or repetitive words and white noise.
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