How loud is a white noise machine? 50–85 dBA

What the numbers mean

How it was measured. 14 infant sleep machines played at maximum volume, measured at 30 cm with corrections for a 6-month-old's ear canal (Hugh et al., Pediatrics 2014). All exceeded 50 dBA; three exceeded 85 dBA.

Sleep machines play continuous white noise, rain or heartbeat sounds to mask household noise. Hugh and colleagues tested 14 machines at maximum volume at 30, 100 and 200 cm, applying corrections for the ear canal of a 6-month-old. At 30 cm every machine was above 50 dBA, the recommended noise limit for infants in hospital nurseries, and three produced more than 85 dBA.

The concern is duration: a machine left running all night at a high setting delivers a long, steady dose. The authors note that more than 85 dBA for more than 8 hours exceeds occupational limits for adults.

Distance and volume make the biggest difference. The same study measured at 100 and 200 cm as well as 30 cm, because placing a machine across the room rather than on the cot rail lowers the level at the baby's ear.

How long is safe?

NIOSH recommends no more than 8 h a day at 85 dBA (no limit at the quiet end, 50). OSHA's legal limit is not reached below 90 dBA.

Level	NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule)	OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule)	UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after	UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after
85 dBA	8 h	No limit	2 h 32 min	Not reached in 24 h

Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.

Children

Place the machine as far from the cot as practical, never in or on it, keep the volume low and consider a timer rather than running it all night.

Protecting your hearing

Keep it well away from the cot and at a low volume, and use a timer so it switches off after the baby falls asleep.

Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.

Compared with sounds nearby

Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).

Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 3.2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.4× as loud.
Washing machine (47–78 dBA): this has about 3.2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.4× as loud.
Alarm clock (60–80 dBA): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
Inside a car (65–77.2 dBA): it has about 2.3× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 3.2× its energy and sounds about 1.4× as loud.

Questions

Are white noise machines safe for babies?

They can be used safely at low volume and a distance. At maximum volume and 30 cm, all 14 tested machines exceeded 50 dBA and three exceeded 85 dBA.

How loud should white noise be for a baby?

The study used 50 dBA, the recommended limit for hospital nurseries, as its benchmark; keeping the level below that at the cot is a cautious target.

Sources

Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels, Pediatrics. Supports: dB_low: 50 dBA at 30 cm.Maximum sound levels at 30 cm were >50 A-weighted dB for all devicesChecked 2026-11-02.
Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels, Pediatrics. Supports: dB_high: 85 dBA.Three machines produced output levels >85 A-weighted dBChecked 2026-11-02.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.