WHAT NOISE IS BEST FOR SLEEP: WHITE, BROWN OR PINK?

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Last night a miracle happened: I drifted off at a reasonable hour…unmedicated. Context: I’m an insomniac waging war on my sleep disorder and blogging about that journey here.

This mission has led me to my latest experiment: brown noise. My doctors want me off of screens (aka blue light) in the evening–so I’ve been getting creative with ways to entertain and soothe myself after the sun sets.

That can be a challenge as someone who is used to looooooooong nights. The hours stretching ahead without my usual entertainment could not involve Netflix or TikTok.

As you can imagine, I’m leaning heavily on audio, switching between meditations, sleep stories, crime podcasts, roaring ocean waves and finally: brown noise.

Now I’ve always flicked on fans and other means of white noise as a protective measure for sleep.

When you have sleep issues, you will do anything to avoid disturbances. The blanket of hussssshhh defends me from barking dogs, errr lusty neighbors, and the switching on and off of home appliances (why are furnaces so loud?).

Then there’s travel: as a digital nomad jumping between Europe and North America, I never know if there will be construction outside my hotel or paper thin walls at my next Airbnb.

Partners and friends have just laughed and rolled over when I hit play on my funny little noise app whilst sharing a bedroom (I suspect they secretly enjoy it). 

But I believe micro-disturbances add up: you probably aren’t even aware of how you’re being robbed of quality shut eye, as we don’t clock the majority of our wake ups. We just rise in the morning feeling groggy and effed up without explanation. And we might find ourselves pounding extra coffee if these disruptions have hit us in the states of sleep where our bodies do most of the repair on our immune system and brain.

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What is the difference between brown, white and pink noise?

I didn’t know until recently that I could ‘jeuje’ up my white noise. Turns out there’s a neapolitan selection of sounds to soothe your nerves: white, brown and pink.

Each color represents long-lasting patterns of noise frequencies that range from 20 to 20,000 hertz–and they are said   to cue psychological responses, mainly chill and focus.

White noise covers all frequencies, high and low, while brown noise is the deeper cousin of white noise: picture the low rumble of a plane engine, roaring river, thunder, or heavy rainfall. 

Somewhere in between is pink noise, with slightly more mid-range tones.

What is the science behind brown noise?

The “buzz” with brown noise started with the New York Times piece “Can Brown Noise Turn Off Your Brain” and then TikTok blew up with chatter about how it is helping people with ADHD calm their mind and get better sleep.

I cruised over to Reddit to see if I was the only one who experienced a better night’s sleep. People were commenting that their dreams felt longer and more vivid, that it “muted everything and smoothed out” their heads, and that it even chilled out their puppies! (aw)

Why is this? Some experts suspect that broadband noise mimics the effect of dopamine, a brain chemical that regulates focus. However, the evidence so far is largely anecdotal and if you ask the scientific community on the benefits of brown noise for sleep, they'd say we need more research.

We do have some small studies that prove white noise can reduce the time it takes people to fall asleep, promote better sleep quality and enhance memory and academic performance in children with ADHD.

So the thinking goes: “If it works for white noise, then theoretically, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work for brown noise,” says Joel Nigg, the co-director at the Center for Mental Health Innovation at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon.

What “colour” of noise should you choose for sleep and anxiety?

Personal preference ultimately is the deciding factor when choosing which “colour” suits you best. Find a quiet moment to plug in your headphones, close your eyes and feel the full impact of each frequency for a few minutes.

You might find one frequency is best for focus, and another for sleep and anxiety. And if you’re like me, and you can’t cope with the dead silence of noise canceling headphones, one of these frequencies might be a better alternative for study.

To me, brown noise is more natural and easy on the ears. It has a depth in its hum that almost vibrates through the body. I’m a sucker for ASMR “tingles” and I have a theory it's activating the same part of my brain.

How should you use brown, white or pink noise for sleep?

You don’t need to blow money on a sound machine unless you want to. An internet connection and a quality bluetooth speaker are all you need to use noise for sleep.

One caveat: the quality of the speaker is important so you don’t lose that precious base note: trying to play it on my phone sounded ‘tinny’ and frankly, irritating.

Some tips for using noise to sleep:

⟡ Don’t blast it: this probably goes without saying but if it’s too loud it can wake you up. 50 decibels or lower.

⟡ Consider setting a timer: if you don’t want it playing all night like me, try an app like White Noise Generator and Dark Noise.

⟡ Trial and error: don’t write it off on the first go. Switch to the other “colours” and see if it lulls you.T

Pro-tip: here’s a ton of free listening options (YouTube, Apps) but I’ve landed on Spotify. Here’s the Spotify playlist that did me in.

Bottom line

Play around and see what “flavour” works for you. Just don’t expect it to be a cure-all for insomnia–think of it as a helpful signal to your brain that you’re headed to sleep land.

So tell me: have you used pink, white or brown noise to help you sleep at night or calm your anxiety? And what effect did it have on you?

Psst. Can adaptogens help you get better shut eye? My review here.