White pink brown or green? Discover the benefits of each sleep sound for insomnia, anxiety and more You’ve probably heard about white noise, a static-like sound that some people swear by for catching more z’s, but today, there is a rainbow of colored noises growing in popularity. Unpleasant sounds in our environment, from barking dogs to disruptive neighbors to the constant hum of traffic, can leave us exhausted. But what if the right color of noise could turn your bedroom into a restful retreat Soothing sounds help the brain and nervous system by reducing stress and promoting relaxation through the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system colored noise can mask disruptive environmental sounds and help lift mood and reduce anxiety. It’s a stimulus control in the sense that before you go to bed, you switch the white noise machine on, and it’s a sign for your body to rest,” Basner says. “So putting white noise on becomes a ritual that may help you fall asleep True colored noise has no variations; rather, it’s a steady tone played at a certain frequency. There are sounds all around us, such as floor fans and ocean waves, that mirror the frequency patterns of each color. So if the idea of listening to colored noise to sleep seems odd, consider that you’ve already listened to approximations of these sounds — and chances are, they’ve helped you relax, even just a little. Here’s a rundown of how different types of colored noise differ and the health benefits they might have to offer, plus what science says about the possible side effects. White noise combines all the frequencies of sound we can hear at the same volume, which makes it a great tool for masking intrusive sounds in our environment. Think of it like white light, where all the wavelengths of the color spectrum combine at an equal intensity. Pink noise combines all the frequencies of sound we can hear, with the highest frequencies played at a slightly lower volume than white noise. In other words, it’s slightly deeper than white noise, which some find more relaxing. Brown noise (also called red noise) combines all the frequencies of sound we can hear with the higher frequencies played at a very low volume. It has the most extreme adjustments and it’s deeper in tone than pink noise. Many find brown noise the most relaxing, since humans prefer lower-frequency sounds, Breslau says. Unlike the other colored noise, green noise isn’t as strongly defined. As the name implies, it represents natural sounds in the mid-range frequencies with minimal variations in volume. Make sure to put colored sleep noise machines and apps on a timer since most people use these devices to fall asleep, not stay asleep. Basner recommends this simple way to give your ears and brain a break.
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Saturday, January 18, 2025