Impact of white noise on sleep quality across age groups and in critically ill/non-critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Sleep exerts modulatory effects on the neuroendocrine system, immune homeostasis, and psychological cognitive functions. As a non-pharmacological intervention, white noise has garnered widespread attention for its potential to improve sleep through mechanisms such as acoustic masking effects and neuromodulation. However, its efficacy varies across different age groups (infants, adults, older adults) and clinical settings (intensive care units vs. non-intensive care units), and a systematic evaluation of these effects remains lacking.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of white-noise therapy on sleep-quality improvement in different age groups (0-3 years: infants and toddlers; 18-64 years: adults; ≥65 years: older adults) and clinical settings (intensive care unit vs. non-intensive care unit).
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS
We will search randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to February 15, 2025, in databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and CNKI. Studies investigating the impact of white noise on sleep quality will be included, with primary outcomes encompassing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), number of awakenings (NOA), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). Two investigators will independently screen the literature, extract data, and assess the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Meta-analyses will be performed using RevMan 5.4…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 1,301 participants or records.
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