Many know what white noise is, but have you ever heard of pink or brown noise?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, white noise covers up the sound of other noises, which allows one to fall asleep easier, or relax, especially if they live in loud neighborhoods or can’t unwind easily.
The different types of “colors” of noise are based on several factors.
“When measuring sound waves, ‘frequency’ refers to how fast the waves vibrate per second while ‘amplitude’ (or ‘power’) refers to the size of the waves,” according to the National Sleep Foundation. “Frequency is measured in hertz and amplitude is usually measured in decibels. The relationship between the frequency and amplitude of a sound wave is used to define different ‘colors’ of noise, which share structural properties with corresponding light waves of the same name.”
The article added that to create white noise, every frequency that the human ear can hear is played (in no particular order) at the same amplitude, causing the “shhh” sound people link to television or radio static.
The Sound of Silence
“Just as white light is thought to be composed of every visible wavelength on the color spectrum, white noise consists of every audible frequency. Fittingly, ‘black noise’ refers to the literal sound of silence,” the article added.
Also, jarring noises like shutting a door do not wake up a person per se because it’s loud, but it’s the disruption in sound consistency that matters, the article added.
“From soft to loud can be strong enough to interrupt your sleep. True white noise essentially creates a blanket of sound that masks these sudden consistency changes. And since white noise is audible, it can also be useful for people who do not like sleeping in a completely silent environment,” the National Sleep Foundation added. “White noise has proven particularly effective for hospital patients. These settings tend to be quite loud and filled with ambient noise that can disrupt sleep. Studies suggest a white noise machine can reduce sleep onset for patients, or the time it takes to fall asleep, by nearly 40 percent compared to patients who don’t use these devices.”
Many people also know that white noise can help babies and toddlers fall asleep faster, too.
Noisy Colors
According to the article, pink noise, another form of ambient noise, “decreases by half every time the frequency doubles,” resulting in a “blend” of more dramatic low-frequency tones and softer high-frequency tones.
“Some sounds confused with white noise,” the article added. “While white noise is defined by equal amplitude across all frequencies.”
The National Sleep Foundation said that pink noise is considered to be “more pleasant” than white noise and per some studies, can “reduce your brain wave activity” for a better boost in sleep.
People who like pink noise might also like red noise, which also decreases in intensity as the frequency increases, but more dramatically, causing a low rumbling sound. On the flip side, blue noise grows in intensity as the frequency rises, causing more emphasis on high tones and less for low tones, according to the article.
“Blue noise can be likened to a fine spray of water,” the National Sleep Foundation noted.
“The best color of noise for sleep will come down to personal preference. If you find high-frequency sounds too harsh, then bass-heavy pink or red noise may be smoother to your ears. If you would rather listen to higher-frequency sounds, white or blue noise might be your best option. We recommend experimenting with different colors using a sound machine that can replicate these noises,” the National Sleep Foundation said in the article.
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