Why can’t Gen Z sleep in silence?

More than a third of Americans can’t sleep in silence, with Gen Zers having the hardest time doing so, according to new research.

An exclusive survey conducted for Newsweek by Talker Research looked at what a regular night of sleep looks like, finding that 38% of respondents rely on white noise or other sounds to help them fall asleep.

The survey, conducted between Nov 2. and Nov. 6, 2024, sampled 1,000 Americans and found that by generation, Gen Z had the highest percentage of respondents who lean on white noise — with nearly half relying on the sounds to sleep (49%).

Millennials (41%) and Gen X (40%) nearly tie behind them for white noise usage, while baby boomers were the least likely to rely on sound aids to help them sleep (32%).

Chelsea Perry, a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and owner of Sleep Solutions, provided insight into the potential connection.

"White noise can be a powerful sleep aid, especially for Gen Z, who are often immersed in a digital environment where silence is scarce," Perry told Newsweek. "It works by masking background sounds that might otherwise be disruptive and can create a consistent auditory environment that the brain finds relaxing."

Perry believes this generation's near-constant immersion in the digital world of smartphones and computer screens has played a key role in the emergence of white noise as an increasingly valuable sleep tool.

"For Gen Z in particular, the dependence on white noise could stem from the high exposure to screens and constant stimulation. Their minds may be more conditioned to need a form of soft noise as a signal to unwind," Perry said. "Using white noise might offer a calming transition, helping counteract the overstimulation from phones and other devices."

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 1,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Newsweek and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Nov. 2 and Nov. 6, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.