Pink noise has a different frequency balance from white noise, but its name does not establish that it will improve sleep. We have not tested these sounds as a treatment or measured a sleep-stage benefit.

Listen at the position where you sleep

Start at a low volume and use only as much sound as is comfortable and useful. Avoid turning it up to overpower every disturbance. Test the lowest settings, audible looping, sudden level changes, cabinet rattles and any bright display. A universal 30-to-40 dBA target is not a prescription for every adult or room.

Check the controls you will actually use at night: small volume steps, a timer, an easy stop control and predictable behaviour after a power interruption. If you use an app, check whether a connection is required just to operate the sound. Do not place equipment where it can fall onto the bed or obstruct a walking route.

Infant use needs a different approach

Do not treat 50 dBA at the crib as a universal safe setting or permission for continuous overnight exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ noise guidance advises keeping infant sound machines as far away as possible, using the lowest possible volume and limiting duration. Keep the device and cord out of reach. Ask the child’s clinician if you are unsure about use.

What a home comparison can tell you

Hold the room and speaker position constant, then compare whether pink noise feels less intrusive than another sound at a similarly comfortable level. That can establish preference, not a medical benefit. If sleep problems persist, buying a louder or more elaborate sound machine is not a substitute for appropriate advice.