The Colors of Noise
Did you know that not all noise is created equal?
Consider the soothing sound of a spring rainstorm, or the loudness of a waterfall crashing against the rocks at the bottom. Perhaps the sound of television static is oddly soothing to you (or drives you crazy?). This is because the sounds we hear all fall at different frequencies and can benefit us in different ways.
When we talk about the challenges faced with tinnitus or sleep, you may hear people refer to both white and pink noise. But what is the difference? We have broken down the information into an easy-to-understand chart below that briefly explains the three most commonly mentioned types of noise.
For those of you who are struggling with tinnitus, the use of a white noise machine can often help mask the sounds you are experiencing. By experimenting with different sounds and sound frequencies, you can essentially distract your brain and mask the sounds that you are hearing. This helps to alleviate your discomfort and help you find relief. While sound masking and white noise machines are not a cure for tinnitus, they are a treatment option that has been shown to work for many.
If sleep is a problem, consider a machine that produces pink noise. The frequencies in pink noise are a closer fit to sound experienced naturally and are often less irritating due to the lower energy at high frequencies.
The following chart compares both white and pink noise. You can see that the high frequency energy of pink noise is lower than that of white noise:
Chart Source: Hyperacusis Focus (https://hyperacusisfocus.org/pink-noise/)
With many noise generating products (sometimes called tinnitus maskers, sound maskers, white noise machines, sleep therapy systems, and a number of other names), the various sound frequencies are inside sounds that you will recognize. For example, a rainstorm track would play continuously, or a sound very similar to a fan.
There are many products to choose from in this category. While we stand behind all of the products that we sell, here are some recommendations from our team of product experts:
