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layout: post
date: 2026-02-22
link: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/pink-noise-reduces-rem-sleep-and-may-harm-sleep-quality
title: Pink noise reduces REM sleep and may harm sleep quality
cited: Penn Medicine

---

> Pink noise--often used to promote sleep--may reduce restorative REM sleep and interfere with sleep recovery. In contrast, earplugs were found to be significantly more effective in protecting sleep against traffic noise, [according to new study published in the journal ](https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsag001)_[Sleep](https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsag001) _from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.