| White noise can be compared to its optical equivalent, | | | | radios and bedside clock alarms. They are very |
| white light. You know what white light is don't you? It's | | | | soothing to the ear. |
| light that contains all the frequencies of the visible | | | | The basis of white noise is that the full range of |
| spectrum. A black object absorbs all light and has no | | | | frequencies can mask extraneous sound, which is why |
| light spectrum, while a white object reflects all light, and | | | | it is frequently used to help improve the concentration |
| has a constant flat light spectrum. White noise consists | | | | of people suffering from attention deficit disorder by |
| of a flat noise spectrum over a range of audible | | | | masking sound distractions in their environment. |
| frequencies. To put it more simply, white noise is like | | | | However, it not just humans that are soothed by this |
| the hissing sound you hear on a radio when there is no | | | | background noise. Animals are also affected by white |
| signal. It is also akin to the background noise radio | | | | sound. It is used to pacify incessantly barking dogs and |
| astronomers hear from space when there is no | | | | animals suffering from certain disorders caused by |
| specific signal, or like air hissing from a balloon. This | | | | separation or fear. White noise has as much a |
| combination of frequencies is very soothing and can | | | | soporific effect on animals as it has on humans. Sleep |
| be used for a variety of purposes, not the least of | | | | is very important to human beings, and a lack of sleep |
| which is to promote sleep. | | | | can result in reduced concentration that in certain |
| In fact, true white noise has a rather harsh sound, and | | | | occupations have resulted in serious accidents and |
| the noise produced by 'white noise' machines is often | | | | even deaths. There are many reasons for sleep |
| called 'pink noise' but the name is academic. They are | | | | deprivation, but it has been proved that white noise is |
| frequently use by tinnitus sufferers since the white | | | | highly soporific. For some reason, people like that quiet |
| noise tends to mask the ringing sound of tinnitus in the | | | | hiss in their ears as they try to sleep, and white noise |
| ears. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a very irritating | | | | machines are gaining in popularity because of it. |
| condition frequently without known cause or treatment, | | | | However, the biggest incentive for new parents is that |
| and is also a symptom of Ménière's disease, | | | | a white noise machine will probably enable you have a |
| a disorder of the inner ear that causes vertigo, and | | | | decent night's sleep once your child has gone past the |
| white noise provides a contrast between the ringing | | | | night feeding stage. There are many reasons for |
| and an absence of any noise that reduces the | | | | children to cry, and you should never ignore a crying |
| apparent level of sound. There is not a doubt that it is | | | | child, but white noise will allow them, and you, to sleep |
| soothing to the human ear and is a proven sleep aid, | | | | at nights if their crying is through tiredness or colic. The |
| especially for children. If your child finds it difficult to get | | | | most amazing aspect of white noise is that it has so |
| off to sleep, or suffers from colic, a white noise sleep | | | | many uses, yet so many people do not yet know |
| aid can be of great benefit - to children and parents! | | | | what it is and what it can do to improve their quality of |
| Such aids are available commercially as simple | | | | life. |
| domestic appliances, and are also incorporated into | | | | |