White noise for sleeping

[Dominic1995]

I was looking for ways to try improve sleep and was reading about the effects of white noise in improving sleep patterns and helping rem sleep.

Examples such are rain, ocean and such does anyone else use theses methods and know about long term effects?

Is that to help you fall asleep, keep asleep or why? How do you define improvement?

I listen to podcasts if I have trouble sleeping. Usually documentaries, so relatively monotonous voices. I can't claim long term effects, I haven't won any Nobels yet.

I used to have trouble going to sleep, waking up in the middle of the night and then becoming aware of every sound around (the smoke detector in the staircase outside my front door does a very slight buzzing noise and it varies with the outside temperature...). It startend with DC1 and became worse during chemo and menopause.
I tried several different types of sound (wind, crickets, ocean waves, hair drieers, voices, etc.); until I found the one that worked for me: rain. I've now got an app on my mobile - different types of rain and a timer. The sound cancels out all outside noise and all unwelcome thoughts. I still wake up but going back to sleep has becom much easier now.

I use an app on my phone or tablet, it helps me stay asleep when there is noise

Without - silence then volume 11 noise
With - volume 10 noise then volume 11 noise
Difference - 11 volumes higher compared to 1 volume higher, so it's not enough to wake you up because the difference in sound level is barely noticeable

The one I use is constant, it's like a fuzz noise...can't really describe it

It's really good when I'm in hotels, the other guests don't disturb me coming in late and shouting at each other or banging doors

I have downloaded one from a App Store and use it low to cover general noise around the house when the children are sleeping - I am a childminder. The noise I use is like a Hoover noise, I don't put it on loud.