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Hair Dryer Sound for Babies

Ask a group of parents what finally settled their baby and someone will say “the hair dryer”. This is that sound, made soft and muffled: a warm rush of air over a low motor hum, with none of the heat, cord or noise of a real dryer running next to the crib.

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About this sound

Sound	Warm airflow (pink-ish noise) over a gentle low motor hum
Pitch	Muffled: 5 kHz low-pass, so no sharp whine
Movement	Very slow, tiny swells every 20 seconds so it never feels mechanical
Length	10 hours, seamless loop with no clicks or volume jumps
Screen	Picture for a few seconds, then fades to fully black
Made by	Generated and mixed in-house by Shush Bean (not a recording)

What the research says

Why a hair dryer works for many babies

A hair dryer is a household version of white noise: a broad, steady rush that covers sudden sounds. In a study of newborns aged 2 to 7 days, 80% fell asleep within five minutes with white noise playing, compared with 25% without it ^[1]. In a small randomised trial of colicky one-month-olds, white noise also reduced daily crying time ^[2].

Why we made a soft version

A real dryer has a sharp, high whine and can be loud. Researchers who measured infant sleep machines found that many were well above recommended nursery levels at full volume ^[3]. Our version removes the high whine, keeps the warm low hum, and is mixed to a moderate level so you can play it quietly.

What we still don’t know

We could not find a study that tested hair dryer sounds in babies specifically. The evidence is for steady broadband sound in general, so think of this as a gentle option some babies prefer, not a treatment.

Why we fade to a dark screen

Young children’s body clocks are very sensitive to light in the evening. In a small study of preschoolers (ages 3–5), one hour of bright evening light cut the sleep hormone melatonin by 88%, and it stayed low for at least 50 minutes after the light was switched off ^[4]. A phone screen is far dimmer than that study’s light, and babies were not studied, but the lesson is simple: the less light in the nursery, the better. That is why every Shush Bean video shows its picture only briefly and then fades to a fully black screen.

How loud is too loud

Researchers in Toronto measured 14 infant sleep machines at full volume. At 30 cm (about 1 foot) every one of them was louder than 50 dBA, the limit recommended for hospital nurseries, and three could exceed 85 dBA ^[3]. Their advice: keep the device well away from the crib, keep the volume low, and do not run it at full volume all night. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidance still comes first: baby on their back, on a firm flat surface, in their own crib or bassinet with nothing else in it ^[5].

How to use it

Never run a real hair dryer near your baby or leave one on unattended; a video is the safe way to get the sound.
Start it while you rock or feed, before the crying peaks.
Keep the volume low and the device across the room.

Use sound gently

Keep it low. Choose the lowest volume that still masks background noise. If you have to raise your voice to talk over it, it is too loud.
Keep it far. Put the phone or speaker across the room, not in or next to the crib. Researchers who measured infant sleep machines advised keeping them more than 2 metres (about 6.5 feet) away.
Keep sleep safe. Baby on their back, in their own crib or bassinet, with nothing else in it.

Source: Hugh et al., Pediatrics (2014), as summarized by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Questions

Is this a real hair dryer recording?

No. We design and produce the sound ourselves so it stays smooth and steady for 10 hours.

Is it good for colic?

Many parents use it on colicky evenings. One small trial found white noise reduced crying in colicky babies, but colic has many causes, so talk to your pediatrician if crying worries you.

Hair dryer or white noise?

Both are steady, broad sounds. The hair dryer version is warmer, with a low hum; white noise is smoother and plainer. Try both and keep the one your baby settles to.

References

Spencer JA, Moran DJ, Lee A, Talbert D. White noise and sleep induction. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1990;65(1):135–137. Link
Sezici E, Yigit D. Comparison between swinging and playing of white noise among colicky babies: a paired randomised controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2018;27(3–4):593–600. Link
Hugh SC, Wolter NE, Propst EJ, Gordon KA, Cushing SL, Papsin BC. Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels. Pediatrics. 2014;133(4):677–681. Link
Akacem LD, Wright KP, LeBourgeois MK. Sensitivity of the circadian system to evening bright light in preschool-age children. Physiological Reports. 2018;6(5):e13617. Link
Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990. Link

This page summarizes published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Research on sleep sounds for babies is still limited; talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s sleep and crying.