The Best White-Noise Machines for a Blissful Night’s Sleep
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I cannot sleep in total silence. I need the hum of a fan or the crackle of a fire. Too much noise and I can't turn my brain off, but too little, and every toss, turn, or sniffle is amplified. Whether you feel the same or not, you probably still don’t get enough sleep, and if you’re like most people, it’s not for lack of trying. Help is available. A good sound machine is just one tool in an arsenal of gadgets that can help you get your recommended number of z’s.
WIRED’s gear reviewers have filled their homes with sound machines for everything from muffling Witcher battles in the living room while the kids snooze to helping us stay asleep while night-owl partners sneak into bed. These are our favorite machines for getting some shut-eye. Be sure to read our other sleep-related buying guides, including the Best Mattresses, Best Sheets, and Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks.
Note: If you're buying for a child, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents to keep sound machines to around 50 decibels and farther than 200 centimeters (6.5 feet) from where your baby sleeps.
Updated May 2024: We’ve added the Restnature Mini Sound Machine and Yogasleep Hushh 2. We've also updated prices and links throughout.
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A Note on “White Noise”
You've likely heard "white-noise machines" more often than “sound machines” but that technically is incorrect. The steady background whirr produced by most of these machines isn't white noise at all. Most sound machines use pink or brown noise instead.
If you think of sound waves as being loosely analogous to light waves, then the different colors of noise refer to different parts of the sound spectrum. Pure white noise is a mix of all the frequencies humans can hear, so it can be a little agitating (think of the static on your TV). Pink and brown noise are at the lower end of the spectrum. They aren't as grating and have been found to help people sleep a little more deeply. So even though a lot of brands call their own products white-noise machines, just know you're likely listening to something much more pleasant.