I currently live in a cabin in the woods, but I've also lived in major cities and across the street from a college campus — and white noise apps have helped me fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly in all of these settings. Whether your noisy neighbours are keeping you up at night or you're struggling to fall asleep because it's too quiet where you live, research suggests that white noise can help. In fact, a recent study found that exposure to white noise reduced the amount of time it took for study participants to fall asleep by 38 percent. The best part? Several white noise apps are completely free to download and use.