sounds: white, pink, brown...they're not all created equally. When we
hear the terms white, pink or brown noise, we may not understand what
that means. In simple terms it’s the range of frequency particular
sounds are in. White noise is pretty flat across the spectrum, while
pink and brown have a larger range. But enough with the technical stuff,
Relaxing Sounds: COLORED NOISE
common advice to listen to colored noise if you have trouble focusing,
concentrating or studying. It does help a large number of people get
focused and stay focused for longer periods of time, thus helping them
get their work done.
it’s not mentioned very often, but these colored noises can have the
opposite effect on many people. Instead of the noise calming the person
and helping them focus, the noise is actually an irritation.
this: A person decides to try white noise (or any of the colored
noises.) They sit down, turn the sound on and it sounds nice at first.
But, within a few minutes they start getting irritated with it. These
causes stress and leads the body to producing more cortisol, the stress
hormone. It also reduces the amount of dopamine, the calming hormone.
So, it’s had the opposite effect of its intended purpose.
may be the disorder these people are suffering from. The term literally
means hated of sound. Now, while they may not hate all sound, and in
fact they may love loud music. The problem is with softer, repetitive
sounds, like someone tapping a pencil on a table, or the ticking of a
clock. It also applies to the drone of colored noise. Colored noise is
quite boring, which is why it helps some people concentrate, but to
other people it is simply a maddening irritation.
Relaxing Sounds: EXPERIMENT
To find out how you deal with colored noise, as opposed to other types of soothing background noises, go to Simply Noise and try the different noises. The site has white, pink and brown noise. Listen to each one for a few minutes and judge whether you are getting calmer or more irritated. You can also decide which noise helps you the most or causes the most irritation.
It may seem hopeless if plain colored noise irritates you, but don’t give up. You may react better to other background noises instead of colored noise. Ocean sounds, thunderstorms, birds or wind chimes may be better suited for a person who is irritated with colored noise. Simply go to Ambient Mixer and look around. They have thousands of “atmospheres” that have been created by users, or you can create your own. The sound library is huge. This may be a better option for someone who can’t tolerate colored noise, but wants to use some kind of calming sounds in the background while they work.