Two years ago, 13-year-old Clarisse Poon was looking for relaxing music to help her sleep, but the “deep sleep” music online was too distracting for her.
That was until the student came across a 12-hour YouTube video featuring brown noise. Every night, she now plays the sounds on her phone as she curls up in bed and is lulled to sleep by a noise that sounds like the hissing of heavy rain or the gentle hum of a fan.
“I find it particularly relaxing and soothing when listening to it as it creates a peaceful vibe,” said the Form Two pupil from St Paul’s Co-educational College.
“It feels like I’m sitting on a wooden branch in a country park ... It significantly improved my sleep quality, allowing me to get into sleep more easily, generally within five to 10 minutes,” she said of the brown noise videos, sharing that stress had made it tough for her to fall asleep even if she felt exhausted.
Brown noise creates a calming atmosphere that can also block out distracting noises.
Clarisse shared that the immersive sounds had also helped her to stay asleep throughout the night.
“I would sometimes wake up during the middle of the night due to noises made by my family. Yet, the brown noise has helped me evade such noises.”
For many, this ambient sound also aids in relaxation, focus and productivity. In recent years, videos and playlists of brown noise have gained traction online, attracting millions of listeners.
So why do people find this soundscape comforting?
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Types of noises
Different types of static noises are named after colours, and white, pink and brown noises are the most common.
White noise contains every frequency humans can hear. Pink noise is similar to white noise, but it plays lower frequencies louder. Brown noise sounds deeper since its lower frequencies are louder and high frequencies are softer.
These noises are not actually related to colour. In fact, brown noise gets its name from Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist from the 1800s who discovered “Brownian motion”, referring to how pollen grains in water move around randomly. Experts say brown noise’s sound signals are similar to this motion as they change randomly from one moment to the next.
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Does brown noise help with sleep?
Scientists have only begun conducting research on how these noises can affect sleep quality, focus and stress. Some studies have found that white noise can benefit children with reading disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, there is not enough evidence to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of brown, white or pink noise.
“Although a lot of those research [studies] are speculative and premature, some people might find the use of various static noises like white noise, pink noise and brown noise useful in calming them down or to a point where they feel sleepy and relaxed,” said Dr Amos Cheung Chuen-yih, clinical psychologist and vice-president of the Hong Kong Psychological Society.
Cheung said he used brown noise to treat patients who were suffering from insomnia. He explained that hearing all of the various frequencies could be pleasant for some people. It could also provide an escape from the constant thoughts or worries that keep people awake.
“Most of the time, we have difficulty sleeping because our mind chases one thought to another, and thus, we cannot actually shut off our brain and sleep,” said the psychologist. “[Brown noise] helps them relax and focus so that they would not be so distracted by their wandering thoughts.”
Why have static noises become so popular?
In his practice, Cheung noticed that the number of clients suffering from insomnia had increased in recent months, compared to when the pandemic was at its height.
Changing from the “new normal” to the “old normal” was a major reason, the psychologist noted.
“They began to feel the impact because more people are now required to go back to school or the office,” he said, adding that during the pandemic, some patients’ insomnia had “been dragging on to a point where they cannot bear any more”.
He believed much of brown noise’s popularity was because more people were becoming aware of sleep hygiene. This refers to healthy habits and environmental factors that can be adjusted to improve sleep.
But Cheung noted that not everyone would find these sounds useful. “Not all people would enjoy placing themselves in nature. Some people might find it a little bit anxiety-provoking,” he explained. “Listening to brown noise or white noise isn’t the only way to help us calm down or manage our emotions.”
Actively taking steps to manage sleep is just as important. “Regulate your sleep-wake cycle ... Avoid stimulants like coffee and tea that would mess up your sleep and make you feel anxious,” he said, adding that meditating and mindful breathing could also be helpful.
He encouraged people to experiment with different ways of improving their sleep, whether they try staying away from caffeine or listening to brown noise. “When people say they are exhausted but still cannot sleep, they might want to take one more step to try.”
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