Black Out with White Noise
If sleeping through the night is a dream unrealized, there is a very simple solution that just might make it come true – white noise.
Just like white light, which describes a light containing all imaginable colors, white noise is a combination of all possible sounds and frequencies.
HowStuffWorks.com compares white noise to a crowded arena where thousands of conversations are taking place at one time. When you first walk inside, sound roars through you as one continuous, blurred sound, and it is impossible for you to seperate one conversation from the rest. The sound produced is one exaplme of white noise – an indistinguishable sound that your brain cannot comprehend.
For those who have tried to sleep through the night in silence, but were continuously interrupted by household noises or rapid thoughts; or to the sound of television, but became more interested in the show than falling asleep, it might be difficult to believe that the sound of a crowded arena or another indescribable noise can actually help you rest. But by keeping your brain busy and confused, white noise can help your body fully relax and drift off into a deep sleep.
White noise machines are readily available and usually cost upwards of 50 dollars. However, if you are on a budget, think about your sleeping habits. For no additional cost, your fan or air conditioner creates the perfect hum of white noise, and should help you sleep, if nothing else, soundly. Or you can set your radio to “no station” which is just white noise.