There are no noted downsides to using pink noise, so if you try it out and love it, go forth and listen. But one thing to bear in mind is this: pink noise does not magically fix all sleep issues, and it certainly won’t undo bad sleep habits. Sticking on some waterfall sounds doesn’t mean you can get away with going to bed late or have an inconsistent wakeup time. You still need to do all the other sleep hygiene basics; just think of pink noise as the cherry on top.

So that means you need a regular bedtime, a relaxing pre-sleep routine, a good amount of shut-eye, and a comfortable bed. Anything that soothes you – whether it’s a spot of facial massage, reading a book, or listening to pink noise – is a great thing.

You can play pink noise at whatever volume you like, either through a sound machine, out loud through your laptop or phone, or via wireless headphones (never use wired headphones in bed, as the cable can be dangerous when you’re tossing and turning throughout the night). Just pop it on before you sleep and keep it playing until you’re ready to wake up.

Try it out and see how you feel. If pink noise works for you, great. If it doesn’t, no harm done. Just make sure you’re doing all the other good sleep stuff as well.

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