The claim

「White noise is addictive and damages hearing」

Q: White noise is addictive and damages hearing

Partly true — Dependence is not harm, but volume and distance genuinely matter. A study in Pediatrics measured 14 infant sleep machines at maximum volume: at 30 cm, every one exceeded 50 A-weighted dB — the recommended noise limit for infants in hospital nurseries — and three exceeded 85 dB, a level that risks noise-induced hearing loss if sustained beyond eight hours by adult occupational standards. The same study found machines placed across the room rarely exceeded safe levels even at maximum volume. So: put it far away (across the room, never in or beside the crib), keep it low, and do not run it all night.

Verdict

Partly true

Dependence is not harm, but volume and distance genuinely matter. A study in Pediatrics measured 14 infant sleep machines at maximum volume: at 30 cm, every one exceeded 50 A-weighted dB — the recommended noise limit for infants in hospital nurseries — and three exceeded 85 dB, a level that risks noise-induced hearing loss if sustained beyond eight hours by adult occupational standards. The same study found machines placed across the room rarely exceeded safe levels even at maximum volume. So: put it far away (across the room, never in or beside the crib), keep it low, and do not run it all night.

Sources

AAP · American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2014). Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels. Pediatrics, 133(4), 677–681. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/133/4/677/32749/Infant-Sleep-Machines-and-Hazardous-Sound-Pressure
Direct source · Peer-reviewed paper · checked 2026-08-02

「White noise is addictive and damages hearing」

Verdict

Sources

Related claims · Sleep

Further reading