These types of noises can aid with relaxation, but they are not meant for those who suffer from tinnitus.
Do you ever notice that you feel more relaxed when there is some gentle background noise from an air conditioner or TV? These sounds, known as color noises, can comfort people. They cover up distracting or undesirable sounds. Color noise, such as white noise, is often used to help with focus or getting a restful night’s sleep. What is the Difference between Each Color Noise? Brown noise, pink noise, and white noise are words that engineers use to illustrate the scale of sounds and the energy of an audible sound range. When sound is depicted as color, it describes the frequencies, intensities, and variations. Audio engineering illustrates sound as a rainbow with individual properties. Colors make describing noises easier to understand frequencies of sound through a color spectrum. This depiction is used for music production, tinnitus treatment, relaxation, auditory processing and integration, and to illustrate natural rhythms such as a heartbeat. White Noise This noise utilizes low and high frequencies. They included the following sounds:
Pink Noise This noise utilizes lower frequencies than white noise. They include the following sounds:
Brown Noise This noise utilizes the deepest frequencies. They include the following sounds:
White Noise The first established color noise was white noise - or broadband noise. It has equal power for every sound frequency. This noise includes all frequencies across the audible sound spectrum. White noise absorbs all sounds in the auditory spectrum the same way that the color white absorbs all colors in the visual spectrum. White noise is commonly experienced as static from a TV or radio. Cognitive and Rest Benefits White noise may help with brain and hearing function. A 2017 study found that hearing white noise can improve cognitive performance in healthy adults that have low attention levels. Another possible benefit of listening to white noise is quality sleep. A study on sleep problems among patients who were admitted into the critical care unit found that white noise reduced environmental sounds while enhancing and maintaining sleep. White noise might be beneficial for those with insomnia, or other sleep problems, or if they live in a disordered environment. People with Tinnitus Should be Careful Tinnitus is the experience of hearing phantom noise in the ears. It can manifest as a buzzing, clicking, hissing, or roaring noise that affects one or both ears. White noise has been commonly recommended as a treatment to cover symptoms, but the benefits have been conflicting. One study found that white noise machines can lessen some of the stress tinnitus causes in patients with normal hearing. Another study found that listening to color noise could cause the auditory system to overstimulate, make tinnitus symptoms worse, and possibly impact cognitive abilities. They found that nonrandom noises, like music or speech sounds may be more beneficial. Pink Noise Pink noise is the second most common color noise, after white noise. Pink noise is connected to the relaxing sounds of nature. Pink and white noise are similar in that they can be heard by the human ear and on the broadband spectrum. Lower frequencies of pink noise are easier to hear than white noise. Pink noise is louder in low-frequencies and softer at higher frequencies. This creates a better quality of sound energy as frequency/pitch rises in a configuration that reflects the way we hear sound. Pink noise may also help improve sleep quality and memory function in elderly adults. Brown Noise Brown noise is another color closely linked to white and pink noise, but brown noise is mostly similar to pink noise. Brown noise is deeper and stronger in low frequencies. It does not have the high frequencies that white and pink noises exhibit. Brown noise has lower, deeper, and more intense frequencies. There’s an even steeper decrease - by approximately 6 dB per octave - making the difference between lower and higher frequencies larger than with pink and white noise. A study showed that brown noise improved the concentration levels of a group of employees in their work environment. The employees expressed that they were better at concentrating and performing tasks while listening to brown noise through earbuds. Brown noise also improved sleep and anxiety. If you are experiencing hearing loss and/or tinnitus, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation. Comments are closed.
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