What Is Brown Noise? Its Benefits & How to Use for Sleep

Given how widespread sleep-related issues like insomnia are, it’s no wonder that the use of sound machines and sleep apps is on the rise. With a plethora of options available – including white, pink and brown noise – what “color” of noise is best for sleeping?

The truth is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of sound that will make everyone drowsy. It all depends on personal preference.

That means you might need to do a bit of experimenting to figure out which type of sound you find most relaxing and conducive to sleep.

If you haven’t had much luck with white and pink noise, you might be wondering, “What’s all about brown noise?” Brown noise has been described as having a sound that’s a bit “deeper” than pink noise.

It has more “energy” yet is softer than white or pink noise. You might find it to be calming or helpful for focusing if you like working or drifting off to sleep with a decent amount of background noise.

What Is Brown Noise?

White, pink and brown noises are all different forms of “sonic hues.” Brown noise is considered a layered sonic hue that has a sound similar to a low roar.

• All sound waves can be broken down into frequency, which is the rate at which the waveform vibrates per second (one hertz is one vibration per second), and amplitude (sometimes measured as “power”).
• White noise has equal power across all frequencies that are audible to the human ear. It includes low-, midrange- and high-frequency sounds. Green noise is a form of white noise that incorporates nature sounds.
• Pink noise is white noise but with reduced higher frequencies.
• Brown noise lowers the higher frequencies even further.

What’s an example of brown noise? Examples in nature include the sound of a strong river current, strong wind, waterfall, thunder or heavy rainfall.

The term brown noise originated in the 1800s. Also known as Brownian noise (or sometimes red noise), it was named after the botanist Robert Brown, who discovered “Brownian motion” (random particle movement).

Researchers have discovered that the power of brown noise decreases as its frequency increases. This type of noise can be produced by integrating white noise and adding a random offset to each sample to obtain the next one.

Potential Benefits

What is brown noise used for? According to experts, here are some of the possible benefits associated with this type of noise:

1. Can Aid in Sleep

Different types of noise colors can potentially help with getting a good night’s sleep for various individuals.

How does brown noise act on the brain to potentially improve sleep? Experts tell us that sudden changes in noise while we are sleeping can wake us up or keep us from sleeping soundly.

Noise colors are continuous and mask changing/sudden noises in our homes that might startle us out of sleep. By listening to low-level background noise, your brain will be less responsive to changes in sounds compared to when it’s silent.

2. Promotes Relaxation

Like white and pink noises, brown noises can also be used to enhance relaxation and focus. Continuous, soft noise can help “quiet your mind” and block out thoughts that might be racing through your head.

Some people report that brown noise serves as the perfect soft, monotonous background for life.

Can Brown noise make you poop? Perhaps if you listen to calming sounds while in the bathroom, then this could be one benefit tied to increased relaxation and reduced stress and muscle tension.

However, brown noise is not the same as what’s called the “brown note,” which is a hypothetical low-frequency sound that some people claim makes them go to the bathroom (although this hasn’t been proven).

3. May Help Improve Focus

Some people consider brown noise to be a great “work soundtrack.” It can mask distracting noises in your environment, such as people talking nearby, typing, chewing, etc.

Of course, if it helps you get more sleep, this is another way it can enhance mental performance.

To help you concentrate and get work done, play it at a volume that’s loud enough to drown out soft noises in your environment but not too distracting.

Brown Noise vs. White, Pink and Black Noise

As you can tell by now, there are various colors of noise, including white, pink, brown, black and blue noises. Here’s a bit about each type and how they differ:

White Noise

This is a consistent ambient sound that can help mask disturbing sounds. Think of the sound of a fan, air conditioner or softly humming refrigerator.

Pink Noise

While similar to white noise, pink noise has more variation. The human ear typically perceives white noise as “static” but pink noise as “even” or “flat.”

Some examples of pink noise in everyday life and nature include:

• leaves rustling in the wind
• waves hitting the shoreline
• steady falling rain

Some research suggests that pink noise may boost brain activity associated with deeper sleep and even lead to improved memory.

Black Noise

Black noise is essentially silence with a bit of random noise added. This is why it’s also sometimes called “technical silence.”

Technically, black noise has a frequency spectrum with predominantly zero power level across all frequencies except for a few narrow bands or spikes.

How to Start with Brown Noise

The easiest way to take advantage of the calming effects of brown noise is to purchase a brown noise generator, also known as a sound machine. You’ll want to look for one that produces a range of noise “colors” (white, pink or brown) and is non-looping, so it plays continuously all night.

Sound machines/generators vary widely in price, depending on the number of settings they have. For example, some not only play static color noises but also nature sounds like rain, waterfalls, wind, etc.

You’ll also need to consider whether you want a portable, small machine (if you travel a lot) and whether you prefer a rechargeable machine or one that needs to be plugged in.

Additionally, you can use a sleep/sound machine app on your phone if you don’t want to buy a device. You can even simply play YouTube videos of “deep brown noise” from your computer or phone for free.

The downside to this approach is that it may turn off after a certain period of time or drain your phone/computer battery if playing all night.

Other Natural Sleep Aids

While sound machines/apps can definitely be helpful in allowing your mind to relax enough for you to fall asleep, there are many other natural ways to encourage better sleep as well. Here are some natural sleep aids to focus on if you’re having trouble sleeping:

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule, meaning you go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day.
• Make sure your bedroom is dark and slightly cool, which is ideal for sending a signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. Keeping your room organized and diffusing lavender or other essential oils for sleep can also make it feel calming.
• Keep electronics out of the bedroom and ideally stop using them at least two or more hours before bedtime. This will prevent too much blue light exposure, which can keep you awake.
• Avoid having caffeine too close to bedtime, such as limiting consumption after 12 p.m.
• Include sleep-promoting foods in your diet, such as those that contain complex carbs, calcium, magnesium and/or the amino acid tryptophan. Moon milk is another trendy option to try.
• Consider an herbal supplement known to help with sleep troubles, such as valerian root, passion flower and St. John’s wort.

Conclusion

• What is brown noise? It’s a type of noise with a lower frequency than white and pink noise. It’s described as being rougher, a bit harsher and deeper than white/pink noise.
• There is some evidence that the benefits of brown noise include promoting relaxation, improving sleep quality and enhancing focus.
• Examples of brown noise in everyday life and nature include a strong stream/river or a strong wind.
• You can start using sleep sounds today by purchasing a brown noise generator/sound machine or using an app on your phone. You’ll likely have the best results if the noise plays continuously all night in a loop without interruptions.