Heard of White Noise? Discover the ‘Colors’ of Noise and What They Might Do for Your Brain

Chances are that you've heard of white noise—often used for help sleeping—but did you know that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to "colors" of noise?

Just like there is a visual spectrum of colors, these unique types of sound across the audio spectrum have been assigned their own color names for easy identification. They're not quite music, but instead unique, consistent sounds tuned into a specific frequency to generate a desired effect. Many people—us included—report all kinds of benefits from tuning into these sounds, from falling asleep more easily to soothing anxiousness, promoting relaxation and even creating enhanced focus and concentration for work and study.

Different people also have their own preferences or each activity, or might even find certain colors of noise unpleasant to listen to. You can find examples of each one on YouTube or your favorite listening platform, and we recommend experimenting with them all to determine your own favorites—but first, learn more about the seven noise colors below.

White Noise

Let's start with white noise, the most well-known of the colors of noise. It's most famously been used as a sleep aid with the help of white noise machines, and most smartphones today have a built-in white noise generator for just this purpose. It's also a sound generated by certain types of machinery, including fans and air conditioning units, and even static from TVs and radios.

The sound quality of white noise comes from being spread equally across the frequencies we can hear with the human ear. This creates a constant, flat churning sound. The consistency makes it ideal for masking any outside sounds, so it's great for light sleepers who can easily be stirred from sleep by sudden shifts in sound. The tone can also calm and soothe noisy brains, promoting relaxation as well as concentration for learning and creating.

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Grey Noise

Grey noise is similar to white noise, but with an even gentler and more balanced sound. It's designed to specifically smooth out any minute changes in frequencies or volume to be the most even of the colors of sound. We equate its noise to a soft hum, like the sound of rainfall or swirling wind flattened out into one thrumming, constant sound. Its benefits are similar to those of white noise for sleep, rest and concentration, so we recommend trying both in various situations to determine your own preference.

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Pink Noise

Things get a bit more colorful with pink noise, which is also similar to white noise but with an emphasis on the lower frequencies. This produces a deeper, softer sound, similar to consistent, resonant rainfall hitting a thin roof. Since it's good at covering up certain low-frequency sounds, many people swear by pink noise for sleep as well as honing focus in a noisy environment, like a workplace or busy study area.

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Also read about: 9 Helpful Ways to De-Stress and Promote Relaxation in Just 10 Minutes

 

Brown Noise

If you enjoy the sounds of pink noise, you should also check out brown noise, which has an even bigger emphasis on low, bassy frequencies, with the higher sound frequencies barely present. It generally has a slower, more relaxed sound, like the constant lapping of waves against a beach. It may not be as effective at tuning out sounds but has a very calming effect that's suitable for both sleep and slowing down the mind to improve concentration.

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Green Noise

Green noise brings things back up to the middle of the audible sound spectrum, highlighting mid-range frequencies with the higher and lower frequencies less audible. It sounds a bit like ambient driving sounds, without the sudden changes, stops and starts, making it sound buzzier yet still highly soothing. Many people who dislike both lower and high frequency sounds will appreciate the calm it instills. While it's less commonly used to promote sleep, it is popular for de-stressing as well as helping with concentration.

(via Unsplash)

 

Blue Noise

Blue noise is basically the opposite of brown noise, emphasizing the higher sound frequencies with hardly any low ones. It can sound a bit like being underwater, with bubbles swirling around you, with a brighter sound known for its energizing qualities. People usually use it as a motivating sound to wake up and improve their ability to direct their attention to a specific task, though a select few may also use it for sleep.

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Also read about: 10 Things You'll Relate to If You're Always Sleepy

 

Purple Noise

And finally, there's purple noise, featuring even higher frequencies than blue noise, with no detectable bass at all. It's punchier than the other colors of noise, sounding like a high-pitched hiss, such as air escaping from a small space or even bacon sizzling in a pan. It's best at keeping the mind awake and alert when you really need to hone in on something, like a late-night project, and it can also effectively cover up irritating high-frequency sounds in your environment. However, some people can find it a bit intense, especially with prolonged listening, so utilize it wisely.

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