The Effect of Noise on Sleep

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Types of Noise and What Actually Disrupts Sleep

  • Many distinguish between:
    • Steady, broadband sounds (fan, white/pink/brown noise, ocean) that often help sleep.
    • Intermittent / “pop-up” noises (alarms, barking, motorcycles, hallway doors) that wake people.
  • Several argue the meaning of a sound matters more than raw dB: door opening, voice, iPhone alarm, baby crying, etc. are far more disruptive than a bus or train once you adapt.
  • Animal analogies: sleeping brains stay selectively sensitive (e.g., to baby cries) while generally reducing sensitivity; white noise may work by masking those salient signals.

Measurement, Methods, and Limits of the Article

  • Noise data came from real-world ambient sound via Apple Watch, not controlled lab stimuli.
  • Multiple commenters want richer metrics than average dB: variance, spikes above baseline, 90th percentile, or “N loudest moments” per night.
  • There’s concern about consumer sleep-tracking accuracy; Apple Watch tends to misclassify wake vs light sleep, so some question how strong the conclusions can be for policy.
  • Others note a large pre-existing research literature (WHO guidelines, aviation noise studies, psychoacoustics) that already shows clear correlations between noise and sleep disturbance.

Earplugs, White Noise, and Personal Coping Strategies

  • Huge subthread on ear protection:
    • Foam, silicone (swimmer-style), and especially custom-molded plugs; many report dramatic improvements in sleep, travel, and coexistence with snoring partners or urban noise.
    • Downsides: discomfort (especially for side-sleepers), falling out, earwax issues, and fear of missing alarms or children. Several report that alarms and baby cries still wake them despite plugs.
  • Others use ANC earbuds plus noise (brown/white) or basic fans/air purifiers as maskers.
  • Some people sleep worse in silence and need added noise, likely to cover more disturbing environmental sounds.

Built Environment, Policy, and Equity

  • Repeated complaints about:
    • Poor sound insulation in US apartments and hotels, especially between floors and hallway doors.
    • New multifamily housing in places like California clustering along freeways/arterials, exposing renters to constant traffic noise and pollution.
  • Proposed remedies range from better windows, building codes, and “noise scores,” to noise taxes and tighter vehicle/machine regulations; debate arises over cost, evidence strength, and “move fast” vs risk-aware policymaking.

Low-Frequency and Chronic Urban Noise

  • Low-frequency hums, subwoofers, mopeds, and modified exhausts are seen as uniquely hard to block and psychologically exhausting.
  • One commenter describes a pervasive 50 Hz–like vibration in Singapore that disrupts life and sleep, with little institutional response; others suggest acoustic experts and media attention but outcomes are unclear.