Many people are familiar with the term “white noise,” static-like sounds that can drown out the world around you. Many use these sounds to relax, meditate, or sleep, but growing research is showing that there are even more colors of noise across the spectrum, and some may even be great enough to calm your mind.
White noise is often characterized as the whirring of a fan or the sound of an air conditioner. Studies have shown that it can have a great impact on work performance, reducing crying in babies, improving sleep quality, as well as lowering symptoms of ADHD.
Pink noise has a similar effect but rather than sounds like fans or air conditioners, pink noise is ambient noise. It’s the constant noise in the background, filtering out the sound of people talking or cars going by. Similar to white noise, it’s a steady background noise but it has a tendency to be more soothing. Examples of pink noise are usually sounds of nature, like ocean waves, soft rainfall, and wind.
Brown noise overlaps quite a bit with pink noise, many examples also being naturally occurring, like steady rain, thunder, or the sound of a heartbeat. But brown noise usually produces a deeper, more rumbling sound. Sleep aides often flip between brown and pink noise to help with sleep. The studies on brown noise helping with sleep are still being conducted but it is shown to improve thinking skills, as well as lower ringing in your ears.
Blue Noise is the opposite of brown noise, often very crisp and sharp sounding. The most common example used is the hissing you hear when water is spraying. Blue noise has been shown to increase concentration. It’s most commonly used to mask other sounds to create a more relaxing environment, and to minimize distortions in sound engineering.
Violet noise is an intensified version of blue noise. It’s often characterized as a hiss or sizzle type of sound. Many find it relaxing and it is used in a good chunk of relaxation therapy and to treat tinnitus, along with blue noise to help with audio calibration.
Gray noise or neutral noise is unique in the sense that it sounds the exact same at every frequency, which is why it is deemed the best to calibrate the human ear. The sound has a consistent and steady sound to it allowing for improved concentration, reduced stress and anxiety, and a consistent and non-distracting sound environment. It is most similar to white noise.
Many of the different kinds of noise are said to have similar or even the same effects. If you want to try out different kinds of noise, simply flip through different tracks or apps till you find one that works for you. Noise being used as a therapy or sleep aid is relatively new but exciting in the world of science — many have used it for years without even thinking about it. Next time you go to bed and that fan in your room just isn’t helping lull you to sleep, try a different kind of noise instead.
