White noise is the art of using soft background noise to cover up distracting and even irritating sounds in an environment. White noise can be invaluable when you need to tune out the excess noise around you. It can create a more relaxed environment with greater productivity and less distraction.

Here are a five practical applications that can benefit you on a daily basis.

1. For work. In most office environments, a worker loses more than two hours of work because of distractions and interruptions. Portable white noise machines mask office noise at your desk and help you concentrate on your work. A sound masking system installed in the entire office space will benefit everyone in the office.

2. For sleep. Do you ever have trouble falling (or staying) asleep because of annoying sounds? White noise covers up interruptive sound, helping you sleep through street noise, or unfamiliar hotel sounds while traveling. The result is a better night's sleep at home or on the road.

3. For kids. Sound machines can work wonders with kid's sensitive sleep schedules. Whether you are teaching your kids to share a room, or need them to sleep even when there is still noise in the house, white noise can help them sleep through the interruptions. And when they sleep better, you sleep better.

4. For relaxation. After a long day at work, you want to come home to relax and unwind, but a barking dog across the street is interrupting your reverie. You can relax to the sounds of nature found on many household sound machines. Enjoy the sound of the sea as you sit down to read a good book.

5. For tinnitus. Ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus can be very distracting and uncomfortable. The irritation caused by tinnitus can be lessened though the use of sound therapy, letting you relax.