White, Pink, Brown or Black Noise?

What is electronic noise?

Electronic noise is defined as “an error or undesired random disturbance of a useful information signal in a communications channel.” 

The types of noise you have in your environment directly affects how you, feel, function, react during the day and how you sleep at night.

The noise in your environment also directly affects your brain and how your brain functions.

There are four types of electronic noise, white, pink, brown and black.  The difference between the types of noises is the intensity of sound waves across different frequencies.

• White Noise includes all frequencies of sound waves in the audible range.  White noise sounds like a hissing sound or a radio that is not tuned in all the way to a channel.
• Pink noise has less intensity than white noise. Pink noise has less high frequency sound waves and more low frequency sound waves.  Pink noise sounds like rain, a waterfall or ocean surf.
• Brown noise is deeper in intensity and tone than white noise and deeper in the sound range than pink noise.  Brown noise has less mid-range and high-range frequency sound waves than white noise.  Brown noise sounds like thunder, a very windy day or the distance rumbling of a heavy truck.
• Black noise has no sound waves on any frequency with occasional random bits of noise across all sound frequencies.  Black noise is the sound of silence with abrupt interruptions.

An article on WebMD suggests that the type of noise you have in your environment can agitate you, clam you down, keep you awake or help you sleep.

An article on Well+Good suggests the type of noise you have in your environment can improve your memory.

According to the Well+Good article, what you can remember and recall directly depends on how long and deep you sleep and noise typically prevents your auditory system from fully shutting down during the night.

However, some noise can also be good for you, especially the frequency and vibration of pink noise.  

The Well+Good article also suggests that during a sleep study, “participants who were exposed to bursts of pink noise performed three times better on a memory test the next morning than they did after a night of no noise.”

An article on Healthline also suggests pink noise may be beneficial to have in your work and home environment and in your bedroom to help you sleep.

An article from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that pink noise is the best noise to help you enter and sustain a deep sleep.

PODCAST – White, Pink Brown or Black Noise?

So how do you add pink noise to your environment?

1. Use a YouTube Video.  There are many free videos on YouTube that include pink noise.  Play the pink noise in a loop all day at work and home.  Play the videos again when you lay down in bed to go to sleep.
2. Use an Audio Clip.  There are many free audio clips you can play and audio clips you can purchase on the music services such as on Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart and other music services that include pink noise.  To get the full affect of pink noise, use your headphones or ear buds to listen.
3. Purchase a Sound Machine.  There are many different types of sound machines you can purchase that include pink noise and other types of noise.

Adding pink noise to your environment at home, work, and as you lay down to go to sleep can create a positive impact in your life.

Out There on the Edge of Everything®…

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Copyright © 2023, by Stephen Lesavich, PhD.  All rights reserved.

Certified solution-focused life coach and experienced business coach.