Does Music and White Noise Help Baby Sleep Longer?

All new parents want their newborns to get the proper amount of sleep. Not just because it helps them to get some much-needed rest when their babies sleep, but because they understand that sleep is essential for the healthy development of their little ones.  

If your infant has been having trouble falling asleep or sleeping through the night, consider introducing baby music and/or white noise into your baby’s bedtime routine.

Benefits of Baby Music for Sleep

Just like listening to certain types of music and calming sounds such as the ocean or thunderstorms can help adults fall asleep, there are certain sounds that can also soothe a baby’s brain and help put him into a peaceful state.

Lullaby music for babies is a particularly popular choice since lullabies are specifically designed to promote a sense of comfort and familiarity in children. This is extremely beneficial when you’re trying to help your infant unwind and drift off into a deep sleep or when you’re beginning to sleep train your child or transition him from co-sleeping to sleeping independently.

Just be aware that not all lullaby music is ideal for bedtime. Some are more fun, upbeat and playful, which are best reserved for daytime and car rides. For bedtime, choose a collection of lullabies with soothing instruments and background ambiance that won’t overstimulate your baby’s brain.

Another fantastic choice for bedtime music is classical music since it doesn’t contain any lyrics, which can be distracting and overwhelming for a baby’s brain. Classical music also contains soothing, gentle instruments and tones, as opposed to heavy percussion instruments – there’s a long-held (though mostly anecdotal) belief that classical music can even help boost baby’s brain development both in and out of the womb! 

Our nursery projector and sound system is a great option for playing music, as it features ambient sounds, 2 lullabies and 2 classical music compositions, in addition to 3 image cartridges. For daytime play, little ones love creating Mozart masterpieces with our award-winning Mozart Magic Cube!

Benefits of White Noise for Baby Sleep

White noise machines create a comfortable, womb-like environment that soothes anxious infants, encouraging them to calm down and fall asleep sooner – and helps them to stay asleep for longer periods of time.

Why does white noise work so well? Babies cycle in andout of periods of deep and light sleep. Every 20 minutes or so, they are in a cycle of light sleep and can wake easily. White noise works to silence any background noise or environmental disturbance that may otherwise cause your baby to wake up during one of these light sleep periods. The calming noise provides comfort that can get your baby to fall back into a deep sleep.

Our Shhh…™ Portable Sound Machine features 3 different sounds, shushing, heartbeat and white noise, and is perfect for both home use and travel. 

You can incorporate music and white noise into your baby’s sleep routine at any time. Your baby is never too young to experience a peaceful, comforting way to drift off into a restful slumber. Meanwhile, you’ll reap the benefits of a more enjoyable, fuss-free bedtime routine with your little one.