
Many feature calming glows in various colors to soothe little ones opt for warm tones such as deep blue or dark red, suggests Mitchell. Squash your child’s fears of the dark with the help of a baby sound machine that doubles as a night light. Plus, if you’re using it while out and about, or if your living space is ever noisier than usual, you can adjust the volume as needed.Īdjustable lighting. This way, you can easily curate a calming ambience for baby with the press of a button. The best sound machines have volume control settings. Instead, Thistel advises parents to choose devices that play continuously throughout the night to reduce the chance of waking early. However, those that turn off after a certain period of time can interrupt your child’s sleep. Many baby sound machines offer timer settings, which can be helpful for naps or to calm baby.

If your infant has trouble falling asleep without you there, opt for a baby sound machine that includes a human shushing sound some devices even give parents the option to record their own voices.Ĭontinuous sound. According to the AAP infants naturally prefer human voices to other sounds (particularly if the voice in question is that of a caregiver).

While white noise is the go-to for many, some little ones may prefer other relaxing sounds, like rain, waves or their parent’s voice. If baby is sharing a bedroom with a parent or a sibling, you could even double up on sound machines and place one on either side of the space for extra coverage, says Mitchell. Alternatively, Mitchell recommends placing the baby sound machine close to the door to further neutralize any noises. If you’re worried about your curious toddler playing with the device’s wires, opt for a wireless sleep soother. That said, it’s also important to place baby sound machines out of arm’s reach from the crib (ideally seven feet away from the crib, as per the AAP) so that it doesn’t pose a potential hazard. All in all, a baby sound machine should block external noises, but not be too overwhelming, too loud or too close to your child’s sleep space, she adds.
#Best sleep sound machine download#
If you aren’t sure how loud it is, download an app to check the sound level, suggests Thistel. First, you’ll want to keep the volume of your white noise machine low (under 50 decibels) to protect your child’s hearing. Get your ticket to a more peaceful home (or work) ambiance here, lest another sleepless night wreck you.But before you crank up the volume on any old sound machine and call it a day, there are a few more things you need to consider. Some are simple and straightforward, some offer cool tech features that just can't be beat. The mighty noise machine that could kept me out of one.Īhead, these are nine of the best noise machines out there right now. Noise all the time-people taking calls, people watching TV-would overstimulate me and send me into a fit of internal rage. Then, as everyone began working on home, I came to rely on my noise machine as a source of sanity. I relied on it to neutralize sounds from non-sleepers around me and to drown out people who'd leave the bar downstairs screaming at 3 a.m. More significantly, it has given me more mental space, unencumbered by slamming doors, noisy neighbors, and the pipe ghost who lives in the ancient heating system, hammering away at the pipes all the night long.Īt first, a noise machine was for bedtime.


A noise machine hasn't made me a good sleeper by any means, but it has made me a better sleeper. As a certified bad sleeper, I have tried nearly every strategy and device that can get a person to fall asleep (and stay asleep), at least as far as internet theories can get me.
