Can White Noise Help You Sleep?

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This Was A Recent Interview With Dr. Ojile From The Clayton Sleep Institute On Fox 2 News In St Louis. Can White Noise Be The Key To Getting To Sleep?

Are countless thoughts keeping you awake at bedtime? Can white noise help you sleep? John Pertzborn all the time. Angie Mock, some white noise can actually be the key to relaxation That’s what Dr. Ojile says, he is from the Clayton Sleep Institute. You were just talking to Angie about some issues she’s having? All laughing Angie says she has plenty of them trust her as she says she busted out a few yawns just moments ago. She asks Dr. Ojile to talk about it a little.

Dr. Ojile: It’s tough to change shifts like your doing but one of the issues that have come up is that there is a resort in Europe that’s now providing each of their guests with white noise to sleep. We’re starting to see this trend around the country and in some of the areas around the world and in resorts and it applies to people’s homes as well.

Some folks use this as a strategy more than a scientific issue they need a little bit of white noise or what we call background noise to ease themselves into sleep. You were playing some of that as we started the interview, sometimes it’s rainforest, sometimes it’s trickling water, they’re different sounds that are very benign, they’re not disruptive and they’re not loud.

John Pertzborn, is that the same thing, I know people that can’t fall asleep unless they have the radio or the television set on?

White Noise Or Background Noise Is Similar To Having The TV Or Radio On

Dr. Ojile, It is a similar tactic but this is a healthy approach. With those other issues the brain tends to get focused on what’s on the TV, So for instance if what you need to go to sleep is a certain late-night show, you cycle through sleep periodically about every 90 minutes during the night.

When you get up during one of those 90-minute periods, that show is not going to be on any longer so your brain has gotten tuned into that versus the repetitive calming sound. So this is a little better strategy and again it’s not as scientific as just part of your total sleep health and behavior picture but it’s very easy to perform if you need it.

John Pertzborn, It looks like the buzzer on The Price Is Right.

Dr. Ojile, That’s exactly right; it’s a very simple device. These are very inexpensive and they are very simplistic. You can adjust it to what ever you like from rain to ocean to waterfalls.

Angie Mock. This is basically to drown out not necessarily sirens or anything that’s going on in the background but just to kind of help give a relaxing.

Dr. Ojile, that’s a very good point some of it is for relaxing but there can be a few minor background sounds. It’s certainly not going to drown out thunder or an ambulance. So that’s really what it’s for. It’s to give you this gentleness to go to sleep. It can work in some patients. I think this is a very interesting trend you’re going to see as you go to more and more hotels.

There is several hotels in the country that will give you a package when you check in which is actually a CD of music that you can put in your room and listen to on your clock radio, DVD player, CD Player etc. Some will have the music where you can just turn it on your remote control. Your going to see more of this as the resort industry tries to accommodate the needs of their residents who are our patients and see that there is a value there.

John Pertzborn, So in other words , invest in this technology you will make a million?

Dr Ojile, (Laughing) I can’t say that.

John Pertzborn, It’s a great idea though

Angie Mock, Absolutely, Why do we have you here do you have any other tips for people having trouble getting to bed at night and sleeping?

Dr. Ojile, I think key thing is to look at this as something secondary to do. The standard things for getting to bed are still the key issues. Regularizing your bedtime, regularizing your wake time, winding down an hour our two before you go to sleep, and trying not to change shifts too often.

John Pertzborn, Without looking at the internet and things that stimulate you and eating gassy foods.

Dr. Ojile, Technology is the biggest issue for sure for our society today.

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Douglas Belleville

Doug Belleville and his father Dave own and run STLBeds - a specialty sleep store located in Arnold, MO. The staff at STLBeds is highly educated about sleep, comfort and their special sleep products. STLBeds only carries high quality mattresses and bed-related products. You won't find the brand names here - click here to find out why!