We asked experts how you should be using different kinds of white noise to block out the world and actually get a good night's sleep.

Pink noise is best for: People who are light sleepers. Try it: Check out Honeywell's Dreamweaver Sleep Fan, a small bedside fan that emits pink noise along with the oscillation and cooling of a fan.

And by minimizing that potential change in sound, the background hum of white, pink, or brown noise could help prevent middle-of-the-night awakenings and, in turn, improve your sleep quality.

To find the best white noise machines, we tested 8 machines and 4 apps, to find the best variety of sound options and volume control for heavy and light sleepers alike.