Try white noise to help you fall asleep

Verlo Mattress Factory - Try white noise to help you fall asleep

Work, home, and family responsibilities make it difficult to fall asleep, taking away from the seven to eight hours science says we need to maintain physical and emotional health.

All is not lost, however. White noise is a pleasant and non-pharmaceutical way to peaceful slumber. White noise is a mix of sounds that vary in frequency, but not intensity, according to the sleep experts at Verlo Mattress. For example, a single-note sound, like someone holding down a number button on a telephone, is not white noise. It’s annoying, rather than pleasant.

If you’ve ever slept with a box fan or an air conditioner running, that’s white noise. They contain a range of frequencies that maintain a consistent volume. This type of sound helps to mask disruptive noise, like street traffic or your roommate’s awful snoring.

White noise can help people sleep because it’s a low-volume, neutral sound that helps drown out background noises. It can also help silence your thoughts if you’re one of those people who can’t seem to “turn off your brain” when you lie down at night.

Many people leave the TV on at night for background noise but that’s not a good idea. Sounds from the television change in tone and volume, which can disturb your sleep without your realizing it. Even worse, the flickering screen suppresses production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.

Many types of motorized machines are a good source of white noise, as are many specialized sound machines on the market that let you choose from sounds like ocean waves, a rushing river, or falling rain. Typically, people run white noise all night to maintain consistency and achieve deeper sleep.

Although white noise is a good tool to help you sleep, it won’t necessarily cancel out bad habits and behaviors that keep you from sleeping. Try things like limiting your laptop or phone use before bed, avoiding napping in the afternoon, and avoiding caffeine a few hours before you go to bed.

Verlo Mattress Factory: 5150 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake, IL 60014, 815.455.2570, www.verlo.com

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