Anyone who's reading this is probably well aware of the #SleepRevolution College Tour. Thanks to the efforts of Arianna Huffington and her tireless team, college students across the country are waking up to the fact that the common saying "sleep; social life; grades: choose two" is decidedly unhealthy and unhelpful, and they're learning both why they should want to change, and how. It's up to each of us to challenge our own status quo, and to recognize that our lives could be even better with just a little more "SSHHHH!"
As we all know, life is noisy, and college is NOISIER. It doesn't have to be. Sound is the problem, but it can also be the solution, and Marpac launched its #LifeIsNoisy campaign as part of the larger #SleepRevolution effort in order to facilitate awareness around this issue. Inspired by the colorful consumer reviews we read every day, we asked students to mimic the sounds that keep them up at night, disturb their concentration, or otherwise impinge upon their privacy. Here's the highly amusing result.
So how do Marpac's machines remove those annoying noises and restore a calm, restful environment? It's simple: white noise.
White noise is not just the sound of static on a TV, or a euphemism for something that bores you to the point of zoning out. White noise has a purpose in life -- and probably even in YOUR life! It could be the answer to problems you haven't even articulated. We all get used to living with aural annoyances, and often it's not until we lie down and try to fall asleep that we become aware of disruptive sounds in our environment.
White noise works by creating sound across a broad range of frequencies. Think of it like this: if two people are having a conversation, it's pretty easy to hear what they're saying, and your brain will automatically focus on individual words. If two HUNDRED people are having conversations, it's nearly impossible to understand anything that's being said. The noise becomes a uniform blanket of sound, and it is easier for the brain to ignore it so that it fades into the background. This kind of background sound also acts as a buffer, so any sudden noises (like birds chirping, a roommate returning home, or your hallmates' loud music) are masked -- and you keep right on sleeping.
A sound machine is more than simply a noise-masking device -- it creates both a system and a sanctuary for serious sleep. Incorporate white noise into your life consistently at bedtime, and you'll find that it becomes a relaxing part of your bedtime routine, and a cue for sleep. Then, once you fall asleep, the constant sound created by the machine protects your sleep all night long. You'll sleep more deeply than you ever thought possible, and wake up feeling more rested and restored -- and ready to take on that noisy life of yours.