Earplugs or White Noise or Both?

Earplugs or White Noise

Earplugs keep noise from reaching your ear drums by absorbing and reflecting sound energy. They can very effectively reduce annoying noises at all frequencies we can hear, provided they fit well. In contrast to this, a white noise machine does its magic by adding noise to your environment: It creates a waterfall-like sound to mask …

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Why Most White Noise Machines Don’t Block Low-Frequency Noise

Why white noise machines don't block low-frequency noise

You have been running your white noise machine at maximum volume to drown out the stomping from above, the neighbor’s bass-heavy music, or the rumbling of the trucks passing by. Or perhaps you tried to cover an obnoxious hum permeating your room. Alas, the white noise machine didn’t help all that much. Now you are …

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How to Block Out People’s Voices

how to block peoples voices

You are sitting in an office, a coffee shop, or your home office and can’t focus because you have to listen to your coworkers or the folks at the next table. Or you are in your bedroom or a hotel room, having to listen to your neighbors having a good laugh and cranking up the …

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Does a White Noise Machine Drown Out Snoring?

Does a white noise machine drown out snoring noise

In my experience, a good white noise machine can completely drown out moderate but not loud snoring from a partner sleeping next to you. It tends to work well against snoring coming from a distance (e.g., snoring roommate, snoring neighbor, or snoring dog). For loud snoring, a white noise machine can still help you to …

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The 5 Best White Noise Machines (with Sound Samples)

best white noise machines for sleep and focus

This review is based on in-depth tests of (so far) 10 white noise machines, all acquired at standard retailers. The 10 candidates were shortlisted over time from a much larger selection of machines (through experience, reading, and listening to samples). I have used each of them until I was confident I had figured out most …

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Sound+Sleep SE Sound Machine Review: No Loops Please

Sound+Sleep SE Review

I have now used the Sound+Sleep SE for a couple of months and want to share my review. Most nature sound machines work like a simple MP3 player on repeat. You choose a sound like “ocean surf,” the machine plays a recorded sound, and having reached the end, it starts over and repeats the recording. …

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How to Block Out Traffic Noise While Sleeping?

how to block out traffic noise while sleeping

I have lived in quite a few apartments and stayed in countless hotel rooms where traffic noise was waking me up several times a night. Over time, I have developed a good understanding of what works to block out enough noise to help me fall and stay asleep. Whether you have traffic noise keeping you …

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White Noise Machine vs Fan: Which Is Better for Sleep?

white noise machine vs fan for sleeping

My first white noise machine was a pedestal fan. It was very soothing and easy to fall asleep with. Over time though, when the traffic outside got louder, that fan wasn’t loud enough anymore. I am not sure whether consumer white noise machines even existed at that time. My friend had a marvelous trick to …

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Sleepbox Portable Sound Machine Review

Sleepbox Portable Sound Machine Review

This is the next installment in my white noise machine test and review series. The Sleepbox is a budget sound machine and one of the few white noise machines with a removable (!) rechargeable battery.  With a weight of only 5.4 oz (152 g) and a small housing (4.3×4.3×1.4 inches) it is very portable indeed. …

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