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POV: It’s 2:00 a.m. and you can’t fall asleep. You’ve tried everything, from cognitive shuffling to counting sheep, but your brain won’t shut off. Your friend swears that white noise helps her sleep, so you head to Spotify…only to come across white, brown, and pink noise options. But which color will actually help you stop tossing and turning?
Over 14 percent of adults have trouble falling asleep most days, according to a 2020 study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and about 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia. Stress, health conditions, and even uncomfortable sleep environments (think: a stuffy room, lumpy mattress, or city noise) can all contribute to this nightly battle.
Sleep noises are rhythmic, soothing sounds designed to help you drift off. “Most of the time, when sleep noise helps, it’s because it’s masking extra sounds—such as a slamming door, car horn, or siren—that might wake up a sleeping adult or child,” says Mary Halsey Maddox, MD, sleep specialist and founder of Sleep Dreams.
While white noise has been found to improve the quality of sleep in some populations, including ICU patients, brown noise and pink noise have gained popularity on TikTok with users touting these sounds as calming, relaxing, and snooze-inducing.
Ahead, sleep experts dive into the different types of noises that can aid sleep, as well as which noise type is the best for falling (and staying!) fast asleep.
Meet the experts: Mary Halsey Maddox, MD, is a sleep specialist and founder of the private practice Sleep Dreams. Chris Winter, MD, is a neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, and sleep expert at Tylenol. Raj Dasgupta, MD, is a physician, sleep expert, and chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis.
There are many types of noise to help with sleep.
The big three in sleep sounds are white noise, brown noise, and pink noise, but there are many other noise types, including purple noise, gray noise, and even black noise (a.k.a. good ol’ fashioned silence), to name a few.
A simple crash course: Each noise color has its own range of sound wavelengths, says Chris Winter, MD, a neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, and sleep expert at Tylenol. “If you think about an equalizer attached to a stereo tuned to static, the various sound colors occur when you turn up some wavelengths and turn down others.”
Due to their soothing attributes, sounds like white noise, pink noise, and brown noise can help relax your mind and body while drowning out distracting, unwanted noises. Plus, regularly playing these sounds at night can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down, helping you build healthy sleep hygiene over time.
White noise
Do you live near a loud freeway or can’t stand the sound of your snoring partner? White noise might be your saving grace. That’s because this noise plays all sound frequencies evenly, creating a steady “whoosh” or “shhh” sound that helps mask disruptive sounds, says Raj Dasgupta, MD, a physician, sleep expert, and chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis.
The downside? Some find white noise a bit too loud and harsh, likening it to static on a television, says Dr. Maddox. White noise can also mimic sounds like a humming refrigerator or air conditioner, a hissing radiator, or even a whirring fan. (Don’t have a white noise machine yet? Turning on your ceiling fan might just do the trick.)
Brown noise
Compared to white noise, brown noise has a deeper, almost rumbling tone with no higher frequencies at all. It can sound like distant thunder or even the crashing waves of the ocean, says Dr. Dasgupta, which many people find calming and grounding.
While science-backed evidence on brown noise’s sleep benefits are scarce, some TikTok users with ADHD claim brown noise helps them focus and quiet their minds. One TikTok user, @emilieleyes.hypnosis, even describes brown noise as feeling like “a weighted blanket for [her] brain.” Say less!
Pink noise
Pink noise has a lower frequency than white noise, making it gentler than other types—a happy medium between white noise and total silence. It has less sharpness in the high pitches, Dr. Dasgupta says, making it sound like rain or wind—perfect for people who want a quieter background sound to help them doze off. Pink noise has even been linked to improved memory and sleep quality, specifically in older adults, according to a 2017 study in the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Some sleepers prefer brown and pink noise over white noise due to their softer, more natural-sounding characteristics. “Both brown and pink noise mirror natural sounds—like ocean waves or rustling trees—which can be more calming and easier to sleep with long-term,” says Dr. Dasgupta.
Purple noise
Opposite of brown noise, purple noise emphasizes higher frequencies, says Dr. Winter, making it not as ideal for sleeping. Interestingly, it’s sometimes used to help treat tinnitus (the more you know!).
Gray noise
Often used in yoga and meditation, gray noise emphasizes frequencies that are both high and low. Unlike white noise, gray noise contains all frequencies with equal loudness, whereas white noise contains all frequencies with equal energy, providing a different listening experience.
So, which type is best for falling (and staying!) asleep?
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Finding the right sleep sound is a bit like finding the right type of pajamas, says Dr. Winter. And while research on the sleep benefits of different noise types is limited, it’s definitely growing. The takeaway? “There are no actual evidence-based studies at this time that suggest one sleep noise is better than the other,” says Dr. Maddox.
Historically, though, white noise has been the go-to among sleepers for falling asleep quickly. “White noise is generally great for blocking out annoying background sounds, making it easier to fall asleep quickly,” Dr. Dasgupta says. And there’s good reason white noise is so popular in helping catch Z’s; in fact, a 2021 study published in Sleep Medicine involving individuals living in a high noise environment in New York City found that white noise helps lessen the effects of environmental noise on sleep, improving overall sleep quality.
If you want to give white noise a try, Dr. Maddox recommends keeping it at a low decibel level and not blasting it all day, as playing white noise at high decibels can cause long-term issues with hearing.
Pink noise is another well-liked choice for sleepers and has even been shown to boost slow-wave sleep, which is an important stage for feeling rested and refreshed. Some people sleep better with steady pink noise compared to silence, as it helps calm brain activity and promote more stable sleep, a 2012 study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology found. Pink noise may be a helpful intervention for improving sleep outcomes, per a 2022 review in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. However, Dr. Dasgupta points out that more research is needed to back up these findings.
At the end of the day, it’s all about finding the sleep noise that sounds like music to your ears, says Dr. Maddox: “Every noise evokes different feelings in people, and right now, we don’t have enough evidence to suggest one is better than the other. I always tell patients to pick the noise that is the most calming to them!”
Yogasleep Rohm Portable White Noise Sound Machine
Dr. Winter personally likes and uses the Yogasleep Rohm to mask the sounds of traffic, barking dogs, noisy hotel guests, a snoring SO—you name it. Small and easily portable, this sound machine includes three sound options so you can find the right fit for you: bright white noise, deep white noise, and gentle surf.
Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock And Sound Machine
Lydia Wang, the love and life editor at WH, swears by the Hatch Restore 2, which has multiple sound settings to choose from. “It has transformed the way I sleep (and wake up),” she says. “The app is also easy to use and lets you schedule and save your settings. I have mine auto-set so that I fall asleep to rain and wake up to beach sounds.”
Smart White Noise Machine
With 10 volume settings and thousands of positive reviews, this white noise machine from SNOOZ is anything but a snoozefest—and it comes with an easy-to-use app for additional scheduling features.
White Noise Machine
If you’re undecided on which sound “color” suits you best, Dr. Dasgupta recommends opting for one with multiple settings, like the Lectrofan, which is also a WH editor favorite. “I use this when I sleep with my windows open in NYC,” says Addison Aloian, assistant love and life editor. “It has 20 different fan sounds and settings with frequencies that aren’t too intense, and it feels relaxing when I shut my eyes.”
Sound+Sleep Special Edition White Noise Machine
64 non-looping unique sleep sounds? Yes, please! You’re guaranteed to find the perfect sleep noise for you with the Sound+Sleep SE—take well-rested reviewers’ words for it. Better yet, this machine cancels out external and unwanted noises in your environment, making room for peace and quiet.
Travel White Noise Sound Machine
The SNOOZ Go has six settings including white noise, pink noise, and fan noise. It’s compact, portable, and perfect if you’re a frequent traveler. It has a built-in bluetooth speaker so you can stream music and podcasts during the day, then settle down with white noise at night.
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