Improving Veterans’ sleep with white noise

Veterans often suffer from lack of sleep during hospital stays, which can lead to both short- and long-term health problems. This was evident at the Warrior’s Recovery Unit, an acute mental health unit at Asheville VA. The stress of being treated at the hospital coupled with strange sounds, sleep interruptions and being away from home created sleep problems for many Veterans.

Nurses at Asheville VA found a way to combat these sleep stressors, which resulted in the creation of the White Noise Project, an innovative practice that improves sleep outcomes for Veterans staying in the hospital by placing white noise machines at their bedsides.

“We are so excited about the White Noise Project because initial data shows that, on average, Veterans using white noise machines had a 20 percent increase in overall sleep hours,” said nurse Krys Earles.

White Noise Project sound therapy

VA health care providers are always searching for innovative ways to deliver health care to Veterans. Sound therapy has proven to be a successful non-pharmacological tool to help with sleep issues, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), anxiety and overall mental well-being.

What started in 2021 as a VHA Innovators Network Spark-Seed-Spread innovation to facilitate quality rest for Veterans is now showing real results. Initial data collected by the team at Asheville VA supports the idea that white noise helps to increase sleep scores, adding on average 1.5 hours of sleep per night.

Ninety-seven percent of Veterans report positive outcomes, and 52.5% who had their sleep hours measured asked for the machine back more than once. One Veteran commented that with the doors opening and closing all the time he could not sleep without it.  

VA fosters culture of innovation

VA frontline staff are often in the best position to notice gaps in care and work on developing solutions to enhance Veteran care. Diffusion of Excellence supports VA staff in advancing their ideas by replicating and scaling innovative practices such as the White Noise Project.

Diffusion sponsors the annual VA Shark Tank Competition where employees present their innovations and facility leadership place bids to bring the practice to their facility.

When Earles pitched the White Noise Project at VHA Shark Tank in 2022, she had no idea what to expect. The practice received eight bids at VHA Shark Tank from VHA facilities interested in the White Noise Project and with good reason.

Expanding the White Noise Project

Earles feels the Diffusion program helps cut red tape, which is instrumental in growing the innovation and increasing its impact for Veterans. “There are people who want to push change and create a better health care system for Veterans and employees. It’s great having a program dedicated to making change happen within VA,” she said.

What started at Asheville VA is now replicating across six VA facilities with more to come. It is a simple concept with many benefits for Veterans who struggle to get the rest they need.

To learn more about the White Noise Project, explore the White Noise Project on Diffusion Marketplace page.