Brown Noise vs. White Noise: How to Figure Out Which One Will Have You Sleeping Like a Rock
Sleep doctors preach a lot about the importance of having a proper evening routine to ensure a blissful night’s sleep. Sometimes that means dim lighting and putting your phone away. Maybe a bath or hot shower is involved. You may also want to consider a nighttime soundtrack.
Growing scientific evidence supports that the best background sounds for sleep are specific types of ambient noise. You may have heard of white noise, but there are other colors, too, including brown and pink—a veritable Neapolitan ice cream sandwich of options. Considering that we can’t actually see sound, these labels are a little confusing. What is the difference between brown noise and white noise? When did pink noise enter the picture?
Consider this the official guide for the noise colorblind. Below, we speak to sleep doctors about each type of noise and how to figure out which one is the best fit for you.
What Is the Difference Between White, Brown, and Pink Noise?
Matthew Walker, PhD, a professor of neurology and psychology and the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, explains that white, pink, and brown noise are all forms of ambient noise that provide a steady background sound, blocking out other sounds that can be disruptive to sleep.
“Your brain is always on alert, even during sleep,” says Dr. Walker. “Thousands of years ago, that was helpful—you needed to hear predators approaching. Today, your brain still reacts quickly to sudden sounds, waking you from deep sleep even for something minor, like a car horn or a neighbor’s footsteps upstairs.”
White, pink, and brown noise can help tune out these minor sudden noises.
“For some people, it can smooth out sudden spikes of noise that would otherwise disturb you, allowing the brain to relax and settle deeply into sleep,” Dr. Walker says. “Instead of being startled awake by unexpected sounds, your brain learns to ignore them, cushioned by the steady hum.”
Per the professor, ambient noise is helpful for a lot of different people with a lot of different sleeping situations. Those include city dwellers who endure daily street noise, night workers who have to sleep during the day, and generally light sleepers. He adds that ambient noise may also be helpful for anxious people who find it hard to quiet their racing thoughts at night.
“It can be somewhat calming, giving their minds something neutral to focus on rather than worrying or overthinking,” he says.
He also says that some people with tinnitus—that persistent ringing in the ears—can benefit from ambient noise too.
But what’s the deal with the colors? And which is best for you?
Below are the differences between white, pink, and brown noise.
White Noise
“White noise is a steady, static-like sound made up of all frequencies humans can hear,” says Leah Kaylor, PhD, a psychologist who served as the FBI’s sleep expert for five years. She explains that white noise is similar to the sound of a fan or TV static.
