Brown noise vs white noise vs pink noise for sleep
In short: white noise sounds bright and hissy, pink noise is softer, and brown noise is a deep, low rumble. They differ only in how their energy is spread from low to high pitches. The best one for bedtime is simply the one you find easiest to ignore.
What is white noise?
White noise has equal energy at every frequency, from the lowest audible pitch to the highest. Because hearing covers many more high frequencies than low ones, white noise sounds bright and hissy to most people: think of TV static or a fan on high.
What is pink noise?
Pink noise has equal energy in every octave, so its energy falls as the pitch rises (by about 3 dB per octave). Compared with white noise it sounds softer and more balanced, a bit like steady rain or wind through trees.
What is brown noise?
Brown noise, sometimes called red or Brownian noise, falls off faster still (about 6 dB per octave), so most of its energy sits in the low frequencies. It sounds like a deep rumble: distant surf, a strong waterfall, or the hum inside a plane. The name comes from Brownian motion, the random movement it's modeled on, not from the color.
What about green noise?
"Green noise" isn't a standard technical term. It's usually used for noise with the middle frequencies emphasized, which some people describe as sounding like nature. Different apps mean different things by it.
Which noise color is best for sleep?
There's no single answer. Research on steady background noise and sleep is mixed, and what matters most in practice is personal preference: a sound you stop noticing is a sound that's working for you. Some rules of thumb:
- If high, hissy sounds bother you, try brown or pink noise.
- If you want to cover voices or traffic, a broader sound such as pink noise or rain often blends better than very low brown noise.
- If you find pure noise boring or harsh, try ambient music with noise mixed in underneath.
How loud should it be?
Keep it low: just loud enough to soften other sounds, and quieter than normal conversation. Put the speaker across the room rather than next to your head.
How Sleep Anchor uses noise
Sleep Anchor's Deep Sleep Music podcast mixes slow ambient music with rain and brown noise, in one-hour episodes with no ads and no talking. If you'd rather have it all night, Sleep Anchor Deep has 8-hour versions.
Listen free on Apple Podcasts More guides
General information about sound, not medical advice. If sleep problems keep going, talk to a clinician.
Published · Last updated