White Noise vs. Brown Noise: What's the Difference and Which One is Right for You?
Imagine soundscapes bathed in color, each affecting you in a specific way. While it may sound like something out of a sci-fi show you’d find on a streaming service, it’s actually the fascinating world of colored noise. Similar to how light has different colors based on its wavelength, sound can be categorized by color based on its frequency. Many of them sound pretty similar to one another, and it’s inherently a bit puzzling that noises have ‘colors’ in the first place. These “colors” of noise-with their unique tonal qualities-can influence relaxation, sleep, and concentration.
Let's delve into the specifics of white noise and brown noise, exploring their unique characteristics and potential benefits.
White Noise: The Even Spectrum
Of all the colors, this is probably the most recognized and popular. Let’s start with the most straightforward, and probably the most well-known: white noise. White noise covers the entire spectrum of sound that our ears can perceive. Meaning that unlike brown (aka red) noise, white contains and projects equal amounts of all audible frequencies, from lowest to highest, evenly all at once. White noise is comprised of an equal amount of every frequency, all played at once. It can be intense and high-pitched, and lacks a natural variation in the overall tonal quality, allowing for a steady flow of background noise.
However, because of our ears’ frequency response, we perceive higher frequencies as louder, so it doesn’t sound particularly balanced to most people. Pretty much any other color is basically a slight variation on white noise, based on a rough comparison between the frequency spectrum and the color spectrum.
White noise contains equal energy at all frequencies.
Benefits of White Noise
- Masking Disruptive Sounds: Because white noise is a blend of all audible frequencies projected simultaneously at equal intensity, it can be an effective tool for masking disruptive sounds. Its overall consistency and uniformity offer an audio privacy screen of sorts, allowing our brain to focus less on unpredictable changes in the environment for a quieter and more serene environment.
- Reduce Crying in Infants: Besides minimizing potential disturbances, white noise resembles what a baby hears in the womb.
- Counteract Symptoms of ADHD: In one study, participants listened to two different white noise levels, one at 45 dB and the other at 65 dB while conducting a test to examine cognitive performance, creativity and stress levels. The results? White noise at 45 dB improved cognitive performance with sustained attention, speed of performance, increased creativity levels, decreased stress levels and improved accuracy. White noise at 65 dB improved working memory.
Brown Noise: The Deep Rumble
Deceptively named, brown noise has nothing to do with color. Instead, it takes its name from Brownian motion, a scientific term named after 19th-century Scottish botanist Robert Brown, after he discovered the way pollen grains suspended in water “dance” under a microscope. Brown noise, experts say, mimics that motion with sound signals that change at random, from one moment to the next. The result is a deeper, more intense bass sound with a natural variation compared to the likes of pink or white noise. Brown noise is even bassier than pink noise; while pink noise boosts bass to adjust for human ears, brown noise boosts bass a bit more, just to further warm things up.
Brown noise has a higher concentration of energy at lower frequencies.
Benefits of Brown Noise
While scientific research on brown noise's benefits is still emerging, many have found it helpful based on their experiences and shared positive testimonials on social media. Furthermore, other research suggests that the rhythmic pattern of brown noise may assist in synchronizing brainwaves, promoting relaxation and tranquility. This synchronization phenomenon, called “entrainment,” is when the brain aligns its electrical activity with the frequency of the external stimulus (brown noise).
- Improved Relaxation: Brown noise, with its grounding, natural earthy tones, can be an ideal backdrop for mindfulness and meditation practices. Think of it this way-it has a way of quieting your mind, helping you to be more present rather than in your own head.
- Improved Sleep: The deep resonance and warmth can offer a level of comfort by calming your breathing and slowing down your heart rate, helping you fall asleep.
- Improved Focus: A 2017 study published in Applied Acoustics found that workers' ability to concentrate and perform specific tasks improved when modified brown masking noise was delivered using earphones.
Other Colors of Noise
In addition to white and brown noise, there are other "colors" of noise, each with its own unique frequency profile:
- Pink Noise: Pink noise is essentially bass-boosted white noise, where the amplitude decreases as the frequencies get higher. It got its name thanks to the pink / violet hues present at the lowest frequencies of light. Pink noise sounds similar to the rumble of a thunderstorm, and it’s been proven to help people sleep.
- Blue Noise: Blue noise is, unsurprisingly, the opposite of pink noise. Rather than being bass-boosted, it’s treble-boosted, and the frequencies are so high that most of them are barely even perceptible to us. In a similar vein, some people also use violet noise, which has even louder high frequencies than blue noise (violet is to blue as brown is to pink).
- Gray Noise: Gray noise is very similar to pink noise, but with one key difference. We all share pink noise, but my gray noise isn’t your gray noise. Gray follows a much less general curve, with more specific dips and jumps at certain frequencies to accommodate one’s unique frequency response.
Which Noise is Right for You?
Forget the one-size-fits-all approach to sleep. The path to slumber is as unique as you are. Is white noise better than brown noise? Is brown noise better for you than white noise? There's no single "best" sound for sleep. It's all about finding what lulls you into relaxation. Maybe you crave the steady hum of white noise, like a hissing radiator or whirring fan. Or perhaps the natural rhythm of crashing waves or a waterfall (brown noise) soothes you more.
| Feature | White Noise | Brown Noise |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency Distribution | Equal energy at all frequencies | Higher energy at lower frequencies |
| Sound Characteristics | Hissing, static | Deep rumble, waterfall |
| Perceived Effect | Masks sounds, promotes focus | Relaxing, grounding |
| Best Use Cases | Blocking out distractions, infant sleep | Meditation, deep sleep |
And there you have it! Depending on who you ask, there are a few other colors of noise with slightly different EQ curves, but they’re all more-or-less based on the colors listed above.
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information.