White noise machines used to help babies and children fall asleep have been examined by scientific research, but the results are still few and uncertain.

The few studies that have been carried out indicate that these continuous sounds can help you fall asleep and prevent choppy sleep, but the unreliability of these data means that no clear-cut conclusions can be drawn.

In the “to be tested” category with your child

If you are considering using such a device for your child, here are a few recommendations for safe use:

• Place the machine at a reasonable distance from children to protect their developing hearing.
• Choose a device with a manually adjustable volume.
• Avoid prolonged exposure: switch off the device once the child has fallen asleep.
• Gradually reduce the sound of white noise so that children can fall asleep on their own in different sound contexts (with or without noise).