Pink Noise and Sleep

[jazz]

Pink noise is very good for sleeping and is a good masker for many people--as it is not as harsh as white noise. That said, I never found a pink noise that blended in with my tinnitus until this one: sweeping pink noise. I still prefer my waterfall sounds, which have no effect on my tinnitus volume. But this sweeping pink noise might help some people, especially for sleeping.



Here is an excerpt from an article on pink noise and sleep from Prevention online:

Sound plays a big role in brain activity and brain wave synchronization even while you're sleeping, Zhang explains. The steady drone of pink noise slows and regulates your brain waves, which is a hallmark of super-restful sleep....

To experience the benefits of pink noise in your own bedroom, Zhang recommends fans or noisemakers that produce steady, uninterrupted sound or that imitate falling rain or wind. You could also download an application that will play pink noise through computer speakers or your cell phone....
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For those who want to dive deeper, see the following research articles on pink noise and sleep:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22726808

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8340228
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Also of interest was the De Ridder video recently posted where the scientist stated pink noise provides a structure and function in the brain. (See De Ridder's explanation here, beginning around 25:50.)

So, this is why pink noise soothes: it is the sound of our brain and the highway for its neural interactions.