White Noise, Brown Noise, or Pink Noise … Which is Better for Sleep?
You’ve probably heard of white noise, and you may have even heard about how it can help you achieve better sleep. Along with white noise, two other types of noise have great benefits: pink noise and brown noise. Each one has its unique sound profile, which leaves many people wondering which noise is best for sleep. What noise should I play on my baby/toddler's sleep machine? What are the differences? Are the benefits of all equal? I’m going to cover all of that and more, so keep reading!
Why use sound when you sleep?
Before breaking down the details of white, brown, and pink noise, I want to cover why it is beneficial to both you and your child to use noise while you sleep. First and foremost, any of the three noises “mask” other sounds. When we sleep in silence, the sound waves from your AC unit kicking on or a neighbor’s dog barking wakes us up. We’ve all been there, especially if you consider yourself a light sleeper. When you have white, brown, or pink noise as a background sound, that sudden outside noise won’t be as jarring to your sleeping brain.
I always say that background noise is used to PROTECT SLEEP.
Okay, now let’s get into the differences.
What is white noise?
DEFINITION: Noise containing a mixture of all the frequencies humans can hear with equal intensities
RESEMBLES: Radio static
BENEFITS: Make the brain's auditory centers focus (concentration and memory). Masking environmental or outside noises that are causing disturbed sleep.
What is brown noise?
DEFINITION: Produces a rumbling sound that's deeper with a bass-like tone
RESEMBLES: The roar of a river current or strong wind
BENEFITS: Some claim that brown noise is the best for concentration. Also, it aids with relaxation, improved focus, and of course, sleep improvement.
What is pink noise?
DEFINITION: A consistent frequency to create a more even, flat sound. A softer, more mild version of white noise
RESEMBLES: A steady rain, wind rustling through trees, or waves on a beach
BENEFITS: Reducing brain wave complexity and inducing more stable sleep time to improve the sleep quality of individuals.
Which sound is better for sleep?
Did you notice a similarity in the benefits section above for all three noises? Yep, improved sleep. It's not that any of the three is better, but more of a preference. Brown, pink, or white noise are all okay to use. It's about finding what works best for your kid or yourself!
If you’re reading this and struggling with your baby’s sleep, you don’t have to wait until you reach your breaking point with sleep deprivation to ask for help (like myself and so many others have!).
I offer free 30-minute calls to see if working together would be a good fit. I am here to be your go-to person, to answer your questions and support you, making the sleep training process easier on the whole family!
Sleep easy,
Yasmin Johnston
Your Pediatric Sleep Consultant
