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Nap Time Shusher: 2 Hours of Gentle Shush

The same slow, rhythmic shush as our Baby Shusher, sized for a daytime nap. It fades in gently, plays for two hours and fades out on its own, so you do not have to sneak back in to stop it.

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About this sound

Sound	Soft white noise with a rhythmic “shhh” on top
Shush rhythm	A slow, rounded shush every 3 seconds
Filter	5 kHz low-pass for a soft, non-hissy sound
Length	2 hours, with a gentle fade-in at the start and fade-out at the end
Screen	Picture for 1 minute, then fades to fully black
Made by	Generated and mixed in-house by Shush Bean

What the research says

Shushing in the research

Shushing is part of the “5 S’s” soothing approach. In a randomised trial of 230 infants, the 5 S’s used after routine vaccinations lowered pain scores and crying time compared with standard comfort ^[1]. The 5 S’s were tested together, so the effect of shushing alone is not known.

Steady sound and settling

In a study of newborns aged 2 to 7 days, 80% fell asleep within five minutes with white noise, compared with 25% without it ^[2]. A steady sound also hides daytime noise like deliveries, visitors and siblings, which nap time usually has more of than night.

Why two hours

A sound that stops abruptly can itself wake a light sleeper. Our nap version fades out slowly at the end instead of cutting off.

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 ^[3]. 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 for one minute 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 ^[4]. 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

Start it as you begin your nap routine (feed, change, cuddle, then crib).
For longer naps or nighttime, use the 10-hour Baby Shusher instead.
Daytime is noisier, but keep the volume low anyway: cover the noise, don’t compete with it.

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 it the same sound as the 10-hour shusher?

Yes, the same shush and white noise, in a 2-hour length with a fade-in and fade-out.

What if my baby naps longer?

Restart the video or use the 10-hour version so the sound doesn’t stop mid-nap.

Why does the screen go black?

After one minute the picture fades to black so the screen doesn’t light up the room.

References

Harrington JW, Logan S, Harwell C, et al. Effective analgesia using physical interventions for infant immunizations. Pediatrics. 2012;129(5):815–822. Link
Spencer JA, Moran DJ, Lee A, Talbert D. White noise and sleep induction. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1990;65(1):135–137. 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
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
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.