The Very Best Sound Machines For Everyone!
Sound machines for adults and children aren’t a new concept in sleep aids but the latest gadgets are certainly pushing the boundaries in terms of innovation as well as user-friendly features. Gone are the crackling, hissy sound machines of yesteryear…the new generation have clean, crisp audio and brilliant choices in terms of sound. Whether you’re looking for a way to drown out noise pollution or just need a relaxing sound to take you gently into a sound sleep, you won’t find it difficult to identify your ideal sound machine.
Sound and noise have a profound effect on our sleep quality as well as our sleep patterns. We’ve all suffered the horrible shock of being startled awake by a sudden and unexpectedly loud noise such as a car backfiring or a passing ambulance…but what about those people who are hyper-sensitive to noise? They can suffer disrupted sleep all night long due to sounds which are almost imperceptible to other people; things like distant car alarms, passing traffic, creaking water pipes and even conversation from neighbours.
White noise can help to block out these invading noises and most sound machines offer a white noise option which is great news for those who find a good quality night’s sleep hard to come by. Others may find it hard to fall asleep due to a lack of sound and so a sound machine which introduces the calming babble of water, or the peaceful hum of a city at night can aid their ability to drift off.
There are many excellent sound machines out there for both children and adults; some of the best are right here for you to discover.See a chart with The Best Sound Machines here (opens new tab) See a chart with The Best Sound Machines for children and babies here (opens new tab)
Sound Machines for Adults
First up is the Ecotones Sound and Sleep Machine by Adaptive Sound Technologies Inc. This is a bit of a wonder machine due mainly to its ability to adapt to and react to the environment…as intrusive sounds enter your zone, the Eco Sound + Sleep Machine will notice and adjust automatically to ensure that you and your sleep are not affected. Those small but annoying noises which disturb so many people as they slumber can be minimized by this clever unit.
The Eco Sound + Sleep Machine has 10 carefully developed sound profiles which have been selected to maximise relaxation and to help you to completely give in to the body’s need for sleep…but that’s only the beginning! The machine effectively “DJ’s” as you sleep; it mixes a selection of long lasting sounds so that you never listen to the same combination twice. This means that you’ll never fall into a pattern of listening and you will be listening to each combination with no preconceived thought process at all.
Eco Sound + Sleep Machine boasts a variety of sounds including a gentle brook, a waterfall, a crackling fireplace a meadow and even a city or train. There are also white, pink and brown noise options (*see footnote for brief summary of coloured noise) as well as a meditation setting. As the machine “listens” for noise from outside sources, it constantly readjusts itself in a way that is imperceptible to the listener.
With a sleek, unobtrusive design this sound machine hits all the right notes for people with all kinds of sleeping troubles.
A closer look at the features and functions of The Ecotones Sleep Machine can be found here
The HoMedics SS-2000G/F-AMZ Sound Spa Relaxation Machine with 6 Nature Sounds is a neat, silver unit which offers a great choice of ambient sounds. There’s Summer Night featuring the gentle sounds of crickets and a light breeze, Ocean with distant crashing waves that sound so realistic, you’ll imagine yourself to be lying in a fishing boat in the Caribbean rather than in your bed; and then there is Brook with the trickling babbling sound of natural water flow. In addition to these there’s also Rain, Thunder and White Noise so no matter what mood you’re in there will be the perfect soundtrack to your good night’s sleep!
For those who are after less choice but more regularity, then there’s the Marpac Dohm-DS Dual Speed Sound Conditioner which is a clever unit that is designed to produce perfect white noise without the aid of recordings. This machine is one of the originals and is technically called a Sound Conditioner which means that it’s designed to produce white noise naturally.
It uses no recordings and has a two-speed operation to enable the user to choose the volume and intensity of the background noise which will most benefit them. The unit is small and comes with a long lead so that you can easily transport it wherever you’re going and utilise it in hotels or whilst visiting family. Because White Noise is a great “masker” of other sounds, users will find that disturbing background sounds such as traffic or neighbours’ radios, will be drowned out and effectively disappear…meaning a good night’s sleep beckons.
This is a great machine for anyone who finds sleep difficult due to distracting sounds from the immediate environment as it allows for a blank canvass to be created where the mind can truly turn off and lose itself in rest.
Sound Machines for Children
Children of all ages can sometimes need a little help getting off to sleep and rather than struggle with a wakeful, restless child why not try out one of the fabulous sleep machines designed just for the small people in our lives? The Cloud b Sound Machine Soother by Cloud b is a fantastic all round sound machine designed especially for children.
There are several designs in the range so plenty to choose from according to taste and because the designer understands children and how messy they can be, these soft and cuddly creatures which hide the actual machine inside their bodies, are machine washable! Each animal, giraffe, lamb, monkey and rabbit looks to all intents and purposes like an ordinary soft toy meant to give comfort to a child. But inside there is a high quality and well designed sound machine to help your baby, toddler or older child drift off to sleep, lulled by a variety of well chosen sounds.
The giraffe and monkey sound machines are designed to include not only the choice of white noise or a Mother’s heartbeat but also the gentle sounds of the jungle in their repertoire. The lamb and rabbit models also include nature sounds in addition to white noise and Mother’s heartbeat.
Each toy has a Velcro hook included so that parents may safely attach the toy to the bars of a crib or cot and if you’d like to wash the toy, then the machine is easily removed through an opening in the back. The volume is adjustable and there are two timing selections to choose from…so depending on how long your child takes to fall asleep, you can select the optimum period for the sounds to play.
View the collection here Cloud B
Sound machines are a very useful tool when it comes to soothing children to sleep…these lovely sound machines are not only perfect for newborns and toddlers; even older children will delight in the cute range and in the relaxing sounds. The quality of the toy itself is very high and most children will fall in love with these as a comfort toy in their own right…they’re more than a sleep aid and will become a real friend to most children.
Sound machines are a wonderful innovation and as they’re more controllable than a radio or mobile, users can adjust them to suit their individual needs and most people find that they are extremely effective in improving sleep quality.
Before you make your selection, think carefully about what it is that you need to “fix” about your sleep or that of your child’s. If the problem is actually falling asleep then a combination of both white noise and soothing sounds could prove to be just the ticket…if you find staying asleep difficult then it’s highly likely that white noise will sort out your problems. Try a combination of sounds and experiment to see which suit you or your child best…your sleep is vital to your health and improving your rest, will have amazing benefits in terms of your daily life.
* What is White , Pink and Brown noise?
White noise is uncorrelated sound; sound across all frequencies like the ‘snow’ on the t.v screen. It is good for sleep, as well as reading, writing studying and anything that requires focus.
Brown noise is highly correlated and predictable. It is deeper than white noise and has more of an ambient rumble. It aids sleep and helps people with tinnitus and migraines while also calming people and animals.
Pink noise lives in a world between white and brown. It is a blend of high and low frequencies and is good for drowning out the world and melting away stress. Examples of pink noise are: wind, heartbeat, breathing and a steady flow of traffic.
The Ecotone Sleep & Sound machine contains all three.
