Think pink!

Like white noise, but deeper in tone, pink noise has been touted for its sleep- boosting benefits. Now research indicates that it might improve memory and even stave off dementia, discovers

Niamh Leonard- Bedwell

You’ve heard of white noise, but what about its lesser- known cousin, pink noise? Yes, that’s right: just like light, sound has a spectrum, meaning that, as well as white noise, there’s also blue, green and brown. Now, pink noise in particular is being celebrated for its potential power as a sleep aid.

Like white noise, pink noise is made up of all the sound frequencies that we can hear. However, the energy of pink noise is more intense at lower frequencies than white, meaning that it has a deeper sound, which is more pleasing to the human ear – think rustling leaves, ocean waves and the human heartbeat.

With regards to boosting sleep, the idea is that while sudden noises – like a door slamming, or a dog barking – wake us up, consistent noise can be soothing enough to lull us into a deeper sleep.

Some baby toys already work on this principle, mimicking the sound of a mother’s heartbeat from inside the womb. For those with noisy neighbours, or who live on a busy road, a stream of pink noise can help muffle out more distracting sounds.

WHAT’S INVOLVED?

If you’ve ever opened your window at night to be soothed by the sound of steady rain, then you’ve already benefitted from pink noise. But as we can’t guarantee nightly rainfall, those of us who struggle to get decent shuteye may want to find other solutions.

Luckily, there are some handy pink noise apps available for smartphones, which you could download and play through your phone to help you drift off.

Or, if you prefer to keep your bedroom a phone- free zone, you could invest in a specialised noise machine for sleep. Many white noise machines available on the market feature pink noise settings as well.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Anyone who struggles with their sleep will know how much of an impact it can have on their mood, energy levels and ability to concentrate.

Additionally, sleep quality is linked to weight gain, heart disease and diabetes, so if you’re struggling, it’s important to find a solution for the sake of your health.

As well as the obvious benefit of helping you to sleep, listening to pink noise is believed to have memoryboosting benefits, too. This is because the quality sleep which pink noise promotes is essential for memory retention. It’s even been theorised that listening to pink noise might prevent older adults from developing dementia.

ANY SCIENCE?

At the moment, health research into pink noise is in its very early stages, but the studies that have already been done have shown promising results.

Pink noise has been shown to help reduce brain waves and encourage deep sleep, which may have many further health benefits.

IMPROVING YOUR MEMORY

A small- scale study investigated the impact of pink noise on memory in older adults. The participants were given a memory test before and after sleeping, and as they slept pulses of pink noise were played to them.

The researchers found that performance on memory tests improved after pink noise was played overnight, compared with nights where it wasn’t played.

STABILISING SLEEP

In a 2012 study, researchers tested whether pink noise had an impact on sleep quality by observing participants over the course of two different nights.

On one night, the subjects slept in silence and on the other, they slept with pink noise playing in the background.

After two nights, the researchers found a significant increase in stable sleep during the pink noise condition, as indicated by heart rate and breathing, compared to the silent condition.

The results indicate that pink noise can help us achieve better quality of sleep overall.

STAVING OFF DEMENTIA

Researchers found pink noise helped to increase levels of stable sleep

Mild cognitive impairment ( MCI) is the stage between expected age- related cognitive decline and dementia, characterised by forgetfulness and struggling to recall words.

Studies suggest that if it’s related to a health condition, like sleep deprivation, it might be possible to reverse MCI.

In 2019, researchers recruited nine adults with MCI to take part in a pink noise sleep study, performing a recall task after sleep on two nights.

Although it was a small group, the results showed that performance on the task improved for five out of nine participants after a night of pink noise- stimulated sleep, compared to a control test, where no pink noise was played.

This feature is from the current issue of Healthy Magazine, from hollandand barrett. com and H& B stores nationwide. Visit healthymagazine. co. uk/ express