Good sleep is essential for good health, so it’s no wonder you feel crappy when you’ve just woken up at 4.00 am… again. When even a cheeky daytime nap won’t cut it, it’s understandable that people will turn to all sorts of things to try and reach that magic eight hours a night. Some even resort to sleep divorce – but there are less nuclear options you might want to try first. One that’s gained popularity recently is pink noise.
What is pink noise?
Noise can be categorized as a range of different colors based on its acoustic characteristics, and pink noise is just one of these.
The most famous is probably white noise, which is an equal mash-up of all the different sound frequencies that we can hear. What comes out is an indistinct, continuous hissing noise that can be useful for drowning out other, more annoying sounds.
Pink noise also contains all the frequencies, but at a decreasing intensity of three decibels per octave – the higher the frequency, the lower the intensity. What that translates to is a lower-pitched sound than white noise, which some people find more pleasant to listen to.
Fun fact: as Air Canada explains, the background noise inside an aircraft cabin – which many assume is white noise – is technically pink noise.
The spectrum of pink noise, showing the descending intensity with increasing frequency.
You might think that all this could only be of interest to physicists, but there are some important real-world applications of pink noise. The gradual decrease in intensity that makes pink noise “pink” is similar to what is seen in non-electric musical instruments, so it’s used to test the acoustics of listening rooms and auditoriums and to equalize sound systems to the space they’re in.
All very useful, but where did the connection with sleep come in?
Can pink noise help you sleep?
On a purely practical level, if you’re trying to sleep in a noisy environment, having a constant, low-level background sound that can mask other, more variable noises can be helpful. People who experience tinnitus are another group that can benefit from background noise to help distract from the ringing or buzzing in their ears.
Some people like to leave a fan running, others may like rain sounds or soothing forest noises. Between YouTube videos and asking Alexa, it’s easier than ever before to curate your bedroom soundscape to your liking. But in recent years, people have begun to suggest that specific colors of noise may have particular benefits.
So far, there isn’t a huge amount of research on this topic. A systematic review looking at continuous noise while sleeping – not just pink noise – concluded that more research was needed to confirm that it’s actually helpful at all. Meanwhile, lots of people are relying on anecdotal evidence when it comes to selecting their favorite sleep sounds.
One scientist who is looking at this in some detail is Dr Roneil Malkani of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Malkani and colleagues have conducted some small studies looking at the effects of pink noise on sleep and general brain function.
Malkani told AP that the frequencies of pink noise are “very similar to the distribution of brain wave frequencies we see in slow-wave sleep because these are large, slow waves.” In a 2017 study of 13 older adults, the team found that gentle pink noise stimulation during sleep significantly enhanced deep sleep and improved scores on a memory test the next morning. But Malkani admits this research is still in its infancy: “There’s still a lot of work we have to do.”
An earlier study, from 2016, had reached similar conclusions, with the authors writing that their results “indicate that acoustic stimulation holds promise for applications where enhanced [slow-wave activity] might confer benefits to either patients or healthy individuals.” But again, this was a very small study, with just 16 young adult participants.
More recently, a study investigated whether any effect on sleep was repeatable over multiple nights. It included 15 patients with Alzheimer’s disease – again, a small sample size, but the practicalities of doing research like this mean that this is often the case – who wore a headband that would record their sleep data and administer pink noise stimulation each night for two weeks.
Overall, the researchers concluded that the acoustic simulation was a promising way of improving sleep, but noted that individual people within the study had very varied experiences. They suggest that a personalized approach may be necessary for people to really get the best out of such an intervention.
Another recent study from 2023 included data from 72 undergraduate students and looked at the effect of pink noise during sleep on insight, a more complex cognitive process than simple memory consolidation. The students were divided into three groups: one group was tested at the end of a 12-hour day; one was tested after sleeping with no stimulation; and the final group was tested after sleeping with pink noise.
The authors were surprised to note that the pink noise didn’t help the students’ performance in the task that tested their insight.
“Overall, our results raise questions about the cognitive advantages attributed to exposure to open-loop pink noise during sleep, showing that it could lead to detrimental effects on insight and creativity,” the team concluded. That doesn’t mean that pink noise can never be helpful as a sleep aid, but that “the cost-benefit balance of sleeping with pink noise should therefore always be taken in consideration.”
Another reason why more research is needed before scientists can start wholeheartedly recommending this intervention.
Is it worth trying pink noise to help me sleep?
While what data there is so far seems promising in many ways, there’s a way to go before scientists will really know the best ways to use this treatment. Limitations like small sample sizes mean drawing firm conclusions from the research is not yet possible, and findings like those from the 2023 study suggest that – like most things in the health and medicine world – pink noise is not going to be a simple silver bullet for sleep issues.
Having said that, playing a pink noise video on YouTube while you try and get some shuteye is unlikely to cause you significant harm. If you struggle with occasional sleeplessness, experimenting with some different sounds to find one that you like is a pretty risk-free thing to try.
“Your perspective on the quality of your sleep has a significant impact on how you feel,” neurologist Dr Nathanial Watson said in an interview for Right as Rain by UW Medicine. “If you think that the pink noise has helped you, that may be more powerful than whether or not this has been objectively proven.”
But pink noise alone may not be enough if there are other significant factors impacting your sleep, and it’s a good idea to take a look at the bigger picture when it comes to sleep hygiene. Other things to consider include:
- Trying to keep to a consistent sleep and wake-up schedule (where work and other responsibilities allow, of course)
- Removing distractions from the bedroom – consider keeping your phone in another room, for example
- Building in some downtime before you go to bed – meditation, a warm bath, even something as simple as reading a book instead of doomscrolling, can all help you relax
- Keeping your bedroom at the right temperature – not always easy, we know! Recommendations for the ideal temperature vary, with some suggesting that 16-18°C (60-65°F) is best, while one 2023 study found that a slightly warmer 20-25°C (68-77°F) led to the most restful sleep
- Dealing with allergens – hypoallergenic pillows, regular vacuuming to deal with pesky dust mites, and maybe even an air purifier
And, of course, if these kinds of steps are not helping, before you turn to any supplements or medications, it’s always wise to seek medical advice from a qualified professional.
Now, if you’ll excuse us… “Alexa, play my sleep sounds playlist!”
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
Source Link: Pink Noise – The Answer To Your Sleep Issues Or A Buzz About Nothing?