Is pink noise beneficial for sleep in healthy adults?

Pink Noise for Sleep: Not Recommended

Pink noise should not be used as a sleep aid in healthy adults because the highest-quality recent evidence demonstrates it significantly reduces REM sleep and worsens sleep structure, while earplugs prove far more effective for mitigating environmental noise without these harmful effects. 1

Critical Evidence Against Pink Noise

The most rigorous and recent study—a 2026 polysomnographic laboratory investigation of 25 healthy adults—definitively shows that pink noise at clinically relevant levels (40-50 dBA) significantly reduces REM sleep compared to noise-free control nights (p < .001). 1 This is particularly concerning because:

• REM sleep is essential for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and neurodevelopment 1
• When pink noise was added to environmental noise exposure, it paradoxically worsened overall sleep structure despite minor improvements in fragmentation 1
• Subjective assessments of sleep quality, alertness, and mood were significantly worse after pink noise exposure 1

Why Earplugs Are Superior

Earplugs mitigated nearly all environmental noise effects on sleep without the REM-suppressing effects of pink noise, failing only at the highest noise levels (65 dBA). 1 This aligns with ICU guideline recommendations:

• Critical Care Medicine guidelines suggest using noise reduction strategies (earplugs with or without eyeshades) to improve sleep quality and reduce delirium 2
• Earplugs applied on the first postoperative ICU night maintained sleep quality at preoperative levels 2
• This represents a low-cost, safe intervention without the physiological risks of continuous broadband noise 2

Contradictory Older Evidence and Why It Should Be Discounted

Two older studies (1993,2012) suggested pink noise might improve sleep consolidation or shorten sleep latency. 3, 4 However:

• The 1993 study used only one subject with 5 noise-exposed nights—insufficient for generalization 4
• The 2012 study measured only ECG-derived "stable sleep" rather than polysomnography, missing the critical REM suppression 3
• A 2021 systematic review concluded that evidence for continuous noise improving sleep is "very low quality" with contradictory findings and heterogeneous methodology 5
• The 2026 study 1 supersedes all prior research with rigorous polysomnography, larger sample size, and comprehensive outcome measures

Noise Threshold Considerations

If environmental noise cannot be controlled:

• Intermittent pink noise at 60 dBA clearly disturbs sleep, increasing sleep latency and wake time while decreasing REM and mean sleep depth 6
• The threshold for sleep disturbance from intermittent pink noise exists between 50-60 dBA 6
• WHO guidelines recommend keeping nighttime noise below 45 dB(A) for road traffic, 44 dB(A) for railway, and 40 dB(A) for aircraft to prevent sleep effects 2

Cardiovascular and Long-Term Health Concerns

Nighttime noise exposure carries serious health risks beyond immediate sleep disruption:

• Nighttime noise increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through sustained sympathetic activation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress 2
• Even brief noise events >35 dB(A) cause 6-7 mm Hg increases in blood pressure within 15 minutes, with no habituation occurring during the night 2
• Nocturnal aircraft noise worsens endothelial function more in patients with coronary artery disease, independent of sleep quality or noise sensitivity 2

Recommended Sleep Optimization Strategy

Instead of pink noise, implement this evidence-based hierarchy:

1. Physical noise barriers first: Earplugs (with or without eyeshades) for environmental noise mitigation 1, 2

2. Address underlying causes: Screen for sleep-disordered breathing, medication side effects (β-blockers, diuretics), pain, and circadian rhythm disorders 7, 8

3. Non-pharmacologic interventions: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) provides superior long-term efficacy compared to any pharmacologic approach 7

4. If pharmacologic aid needed: Melatonin is first-line (safe perioperatively, reduces delirium in older adults), not sedative-hypnotics 7

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not assume "masking" environmental noise with pink noise is beneficial—the 2026 study proves it worsens sleep architecture 1
• Do not rely on subjective sleep apps or consumer devices that promote pink noise without polysomnographic validation 5
• Do not use pink noise in vulnerable populations (children, elderly, those with cardiovascular disease) given the REM suppression and lack of long-term safety data 1
• Recognize that noise exposure during work hours can impair nighttime sleep quality, so daytime noise reduction matters too 2