Brown noise vs white noise: which colour helps you sleep?

The colours of noise, explained

White noise spreads equal energy across every frequency, like radio static or a fan. It is bright and hissy, and it masks sudden sounds extremely well.

Pink noise lowers the higher frequencies, so it sounds softer and fuller, closer to steady rain or wind in trees. It is the colour most often used in sleep research.

Brown noise (also called red noise) drops the highs even further. It is deep and rumbly, like a waterfall, heavy rain or distant thunder. Many people find it the most soothing and the least harsh.

Green noise is a mid-frequency variant that emphasises the sounds of nature (a flowing stream, gentle surf). It sits between pink and brown.

There is no single best colour: the right one depends on what you are trying to do and what your ears find pleasant. The easiest way to know is to test them side by side. Explore all of them in our free sleep sounds mixer.

Which noise colour is best for what

For falling and staying asleep: pink and brown noise are usually the best choice. A Northwestern University study found that pink noise can improve deep, slow-wave sleep by around 23%. Brown noise is gentler on the ears at higher volumes, which helps if you keep sound on all night.

For focus and an ADHD mind: many people with attention difficulties report that brown noise helps them settle and concentrate by giving the brain a steady, low-stimulation backdrop. It is a simple, drug-free tool to pair with practice. If your mind races when you try to focus or sleep, our ADHD meditation guide combines sound with techniques built for restless minds.

For anxiety and a racing mind: brown and green noise feel grounding and reduce the urge to scan for sounds. Combine them with a breathing exercise to calm the nervous system faster.

For babies: white and pink noise mimic the womb and can shorten crying. Keep the volume low (around 50 dB, like a soft shower) and use a timer. See our baby sleep sounds guide.

For tinnitus or a noisy home: white noise masks the widest range of intrusive sounds, which is why it suits open-plan flats and ringing-in-the-ears relief.

Mix your own noise, free, with Nala

Most apps lock you into one fixed track. Nala gives you a 100% free sound mixer with white, pink and brown noise plus 35+ natural ambiences (rain, ocean, fireplace, forest, wind). You can layer them: brown noise + rain, white noise + distant ocean, green noise + stream, until it sounds exactly right for you.

A smart timer fades everything out after you fall asleep, so sound never runs pointlessly all night. Nala can also layer a sleep meditation over your chosen noise, and Soren tells sleep stories with an adjustable sound bed. Try every colour and find yours in under a minute.

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