Trouble falling asleep? How noise might actually help you rest

Good sleep is not a given, and it is not easy to achieve. Just because we are exhausted does not mean that we will easily fall asleep. And even if we do, we might still feel tired afterward. Many factors influence this, such as drinking alcohol the night before, sleeping too long, or sleeping too little.

For some, background noise is an infallible way to fall asleep. It doesn’t have to be the hum of the TV, the whir of a fan, or playing music; it can even be white noise. Many people highlight that it’s harder for them to fall asleep without such support.

For those who simply cannot fall asleep without this kind of aid, the reason lies in their psychology and brain.

TikTok, a channel dedicated to mental health, featured a video with information about what therapists say regarding sleeping in noise.

The DCLAnxiety profile explains that sleep problems are associated with many mental health conditions. One of them is the fear of rejection. Noise helps trick our brains, making us think that we are not falling asleep alone or helps us detach from problems.

Effectively, we fill our attentional capacity to the max with other stimuli in an attempt to have no resources left for the things we are trying to avoid. The minute the distraction stops, the unpleasant emotions and thoughts normally spring up again in full force, in an interview with HuffPost.

The fear of abandonment is not the only reason some make background noises during sleep.

I like to listen to background noise to sleep, read, play, etc. I don’t have abandonment issues. I like being a homebody - stated one of the netizens.

I grew up with 6 siblings, so going to sleep in 100% silence is abnormal for me - added another.