Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Are you listening colourfully?
Luisa Metcalfe discovers how frequencies can boost sleep, soothe anxiety, and even improve your memory
Do you like to sleep beside a whirring fan? Does the sound of the ocean feel soothing? Or do you work best when there’s a thunderstorm? If you answered yes to any of these, you may be using coloured noise to impact your mood without realising it.
These sounds, each with a subtly different mix of frequencies, are spread across a visual spectrum giving them a colour such as white, brown and pink. Many people swear by their power to help them drop off, relax or even concentrate better.
“Different frequencies activate and stimulate your brain in different ways,” says neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, who hosts the Reinvent Yourself With Dr Tara podcast. So which colour is right for you?
WHITE FOR SLEEP
White noise’s ability to induce sleep is no secret to parents of babies and it is hugely popular as a sleep aid among adults.
A steady, hissing sound that kicks in when you tune your TV or radio, white noise contains all frequencies at equal intensity, which makes it good at masking jarring background sounds that might wake you up.
Research has found that white noise particularly helps people get some shut-eye in noisy environments such as busy cities or in hospitals.
Hear it now: Found in whirring fans,
BROWN FOR FOCUS Brown noise is the most buzzed-about sound of the moment, thanks to Tiktok where videos with the hashtag #brownnoise have been watched 87 million times.
With deeper notes making it sound like a low roar, brown noise is believed to help boost focus and concentration and quiet a busy mind.
“There is a little research that says it can also help with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,” says Dr Swart.
“It’s like a weighted blanket for your brain,” says one Tiktok user.
Hear it now: Seek out soundtracks that include gushing waterfalls, crashing waves and thunder.
PINK FOR MEMORY
While similar to white noise, pink noise has more power in the lower frequencies, giving it a slightly deeper note.
Studies have also found that pink noise can enhance the restorative phases of sleep and, as a result, boost memory.
“It encourages you to move into the deeper part of the sleep cycle,” says Dr Swart. “This is when we lay down memories and emotions that we’ve picked up throughout the day. By being in deep sleep longer you’re cementing memories into your brain.”
Hear it now: Listen to the sound of rain, waterfalls, ocean waves and steady traffic.
PURPLE FOR MASKING TINNITUS
Purple noise is offered as a treatment for tinnitus as its higher frequencies can help mask the high-pitched sounds heard by many sufferers.
Some people with this condition, in which you hear a ringing or buzzing inside your ears, find that background noises can distract their attention away from it.
However, the particular sound is individual to each person. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People suggests experimenting with tinnitus masking apps, while ear, nose and throat surgeon Mike Dilkes, founder of London clinic Healthhub, says: “Tune your radio to find the hiss that’s right for you and adjust the volume.”
However, he warns that sound machines can generate their own tinnitus if they’re too loud.
Hear it now: Turn on a tap or find the sound of sizzling frying pans on Youtube.