Yes, audio can affect how well you sleep, but the results depend on what you listen to, when you play it and your reason for using it. Music at bedtime may improve perceived sleep quality for adults with insomnia symptoms. That finding does not show that audio played all night improves sleep, or that every kind of sound helps everyone.
Does music help you sleep?
Music has the strongest support among the audio approaches covered by the available reviews, but the evidence is specific: a 2022 Cochrane review of 13 studies involving 1,007 adults with insomnia symptoms found moderate-certainty evidence that music may improve subjective sleep quality. Cochrane’s review did not establish that music reliably reduces insomnia severity, prevents awakenings, lengthens sleep, improves sleep efficiency or reduces daytime effects.
The studies used prerecorded music for 25–50 minutes per day, over study periods ranging from three days to three months. They do not establish that music should continue after you fall asleep or play throughout the night. The finding concerns how participants rated their sleep, not a guarantee of measurable changes in every aspect of sleep.
Is white noise or pink noise a proven sleep aid?
No. White or pink noise may help some people mask disruptive sounds, but reviews have not found strong, consistent evidence that continuous broadband noise improves sleep. A 2022 systematic review of 34 studies and 1,103 participants found no strong evidence supporting auditory stimulation for sleep. A separate 2020 review of 38 articles rated the evidence for continuous white noise improving sleep as very low quality, with results varying substantially. The 2022 review and the 2020 review do not establish one noise color as best for everyone.
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Noise can also be a problem rather than a solution: the NHS lists it among possible contributors to insomnia. Whether masking sound helps will depend in part on your environment and sensitivity to noise, so consider the bedroom itself rather than assuming more sound will fix poor sleep. The NHS insomnia guidance includes keeping the bedroom dark and quiet among self-care measures.
What about podcasts, audiobooks or other spoken audio?
The sources reviewed here do not establish that podcasts or spoken-word audio improve sleep compared with music, noise or silence. If you find a calm voice relaxing, that can be a personal preference—not a demonstrated sleep treatment. Content that keeps you engaged or prompts you to keep listening may also work against winding down.
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Is it OK to sleep with earbuds or headphones?
Wearing earbuds adds device-related considerations that are separate from whether audio improves sleep. Cleveland Clinic’s April 8, 2026 guidance describes possible issues including excessive sound exposure, earwax being pushed deeper into the ear, trapped moisture, pressure or irritation, and reduced awareness of alarms or emergencies. Its guidance on sleeping with headphones quotes audiologist Valerie Pavlovich Ruff, AuD: “A lot of people use earbuds to help them relax or block out noise. It can be OK, but it depends on how you’re using them.”
- Keep the volume low; prolonged exposure to loud sound can harm hearing.
- Use a sleep timer if you only need audio to wind down, rather than assuming it needs to play all night.
- Keep earbuds clean and let your ears dry, since in-ear devices can trap moisture.
- Stop using them if you feel pain or irritation, or notice a change in hearing; seek medical advice about symptoms.
- Make sure you can still hear important alarms and sounds, particularly if using noise-cancelling headphones.
If in-ear devices feel uncomfortable, an external speaker avoids pressure inside the ear and makes volume and timing easier to control. Cleveland Clinic’s audiologist recommends a speaker for playing sound while sleeping; that is a device suggestion, not evidence that speakers improve sleep. A sleep headband is another option for people who prefer wearable audio, though the cited guidance does not establish that it improves sleep outcomes.
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How to try sleep audio without committing to all-night playback
- Choose a purpose. Decide whether you want music to relax while winding down or sound to mask unpredictable noise. The evidence for music is about bedtime listening and perceived sleep quality in adults with insomnia symptoms; it does not prove a benefit from continuous playback.
- Start with a short listening period. Try low-volume audio while getting ready for sleep and set a timer. The reviewed music studies used 25–50 minutes per day, but that range is a description of the studies—not a prescription for every listener.
- Choose a comfortable way to play it. A speaker avoids wearing something in your ears; if you choose earbuds or headphones, pay attention to comfort, cleanliness and whether you can hear alarms.
- Notice what changes. Consider whether you feel more rested and whether the sound interrupts your sleep. If it does not help, stop or try addressing the room’s noise and other sleep conditions instead.
These studies do not settle how results vary by noise sensitivity, sleeping environment, health conditions or medications. If sleep problems persist, audio should not substitute for medical advice or attention to other possible causes.
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