Introduction
Have you ever tried to sleep in a room without any sounds? It’s impossible. I know that from firsthand experience. Back when I lived in an apartment building, the noise from my neighbors would often keep me awake at night. But what if there was a way for you to drown out those pesky noises with something soothing and relaxing? Enter: brown sound! Brown sound is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: white noise (or pink noise) with a little more bass. In fact, white noise is usually just as effective at blocking out other sounds as brown noise. But some people find it too bright or artificial sounding for their tastes.
What is a brown noise?
Brown noise is created by combining frequencies in the same way that white noise is created. But with a lower and more even frequency. The result is a sound that’s more natural than white noise. Which often sounds too harsh because it has so many frequencies all at once. The name “brown” comes from the fact that this type of sound resembles the sounds you hear around you during the day. Like birds chirping or leaves rustling in the wind. It’s calmer than normal sounds and has no harsh spikes like you get with some types of music or other white noises.
How does brown noise work?
Brown noise is a type of sound that has the same frequency as the sounds you hear while standing next to crashing waves on the beach. These frequencies are between 20 and 25 Hz. And they can be thought of as white noise without any distinct high or low frequencies. Brown noise is calming because it’s similar to how our neurons fire in response to environmental stimuli.
The brain’s auditory system uses neurons with different sensitivities to process different types of sounds. This means that if we want to listen closely, we need more sensitive neurons than we do when we’re trying not to notice anything at all. This requires an increase in neuron activity. And just like with an increase in neuron activity during meditation practice (or other activities where focus matters). Increasing neuron activity through brown noise can help us get into our meditative headspace. More easily than simply listening passively would allow us.
Brown sound isn’t just useful for helping people sleep. It also helps reduce stress levels by reducing sympathetic nervous system activity (the fight-or-flight part). If you’re feeling stressed out about something specific but don’t know what else might help calm down. Your body and mind enough so that you can think clearly about it. Try playing some brown sound while going through your evening routine before bed!
Is brown noise safe?
A decade ago, research was conducted to determine if brown noise could cause damage to hearing. The results were conclusive that it did not have any negative effect on hearing and in fact may be helpful in protecting against hearing loss.
As long as you’re listening at a safe volume level (just below the point where your ears start ringing) there should be no problem using this type of sound therapy every night for years on end.
Can I make my own brown noise?
Can I make my own brown noise?
The short answer to this question is yes. It’s not difficult to make your own brown sound, but there are a few considerations you’ll have to keep in mind before you get started.
First of all, while it’s possible to use the same principles that go into the creation of commercial brown noise machines (a tone generator and an amplifier), those machines tend to be quite expensive. So if you want something cheap and simple that won’t take up much space in your home, consider trying out one of these DIY options:
- Use a microphone and amplifier (you can get both from Amazon) connected through headphones so that only you can hear what’s being played through them;
- Purchase a commercially-made white noise machine online or at a local store;
- Connect your smartphone speakers directly into an equalizer program on iTunes or Windows Media Player so that they’re playing songs with frequencies between 20 Hz – 20 kHz (some people find this works better than other methods).
If you’re having trouble sleeping, brown noise could be the answer.
You’ve likely heard of white noise, a type of noise that’s used to mask background sounds and help you sleep, but did you know there’s also brown noise? And while it may sound like a yellowish-brown sludge, it’s actually a low-frequency sound that can help you relax and focus.
The best way to think about brown noise is as being similar to white noise but less harsh. Both types of audio can be helpful when trying to drown out a noisy environment like traffic or construction work so you can rest undisturbed—but while white noises tend to have high frequencies that cause discomfort in some people’s ears, brown noises are better at blocking lower frequency sounds that might interfere with your sleep cycle (like snoring).
For this reason, many people with hearing problems prefer listening to brown over white: It’s easier on their ears and allows them to get the benefits of sound masking without feeling discomfort or irritation.
Conclusion
Brown noise is one of the best tools you can use to improve your sleep quality. The sound is soothing and relaxing, but it’s not quite as hypnotic as white noise. The best part about brown noise is that it can be used anywhere: at home or in the office, when you want some background noise to drown out distractions, or even when traveling on an airplane where there aren’t any other options available!