Some people find it easier to sleep in complete silence, while others need sound to get quality sleep. Perfecting the sounds in your sleep environment plays a vital role in rest.

Certain sounds are disruptive and make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. Your brain has a way of reacting to sounds that it deems threatening. On the bright side, sounds can be added to your sleep environment to relax your brain and prepare you for rest.

Different noises and their effects

Many people are familiar with white noise, but there are other color noises to consider. The color of the noise is determined by how the energy is distributed over various frequencies.

Warmer colors like pink and brown are usually associated with low frequencies. Blues and violets are cool colors that have higher frequencies. Here are some examples of color noises and the effects they can have on your body:

White noise

White noise is prevalent in music with percussion instruments. This noise is usually used by people who have trouble sleeping. White noise helps this problem because the brain receives different frequencies evenly distributedly. Some examples of white noise are static sounds like a fan or vacuum.

Pink noise

Pink noise is great for filtering out unwanted sounds that may distract you. This noise uses a consistent frequency, or pitch, to create a flat sound. Some examples of pink noise are steady rain, wind rustling in the trees, and calm beach waves.

Learn more about the best music to listen while sleeping

Brown noise

Brown noise is sometimes referred to as red noise. This noise produces a deeper tone than both pink and white noise. Brown noise is often used to help people who hear ringing in both ears. Heavy rainfall is a good example of this sound.

Violet noise

Violet noise is the complete opposite of brown noise. This higher-pitched noise increases in volume along with frequency. Like brown noise, this is also used to help people who hear ringing in their ears.

Best Noise to Listen to While Sleeping

Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, different noises aid sleep in their way.

Drain out other sounds

Other sounds can disrupt your brain and make it difficult to fall asleep. If this is the case for you, white noise is an excellent option for you. This noise is beneficial in smaller environments. Getting rid of these distractive sounds can provide a good night’s rest.

Focus and concentration

Some people may have difficulty falling asleep because they can’t get their minds to focus on resting. Instead of rest, the mind wanders, leading to a lack of rest. Brown noise helps the mind to focus. It’s also great for studying or soothing you in high-stress situations.

Reduce brain waves

Reducing brain waves is key to falling asleep faster. Pink noise is a great option that can help reduce brain waves. Pink noise is a primary choice for people who want something deeper than white noise.