Photo by elizabeth lies on Unsplash

Now that the semester has officially started, many stress-ridden students may be struggling with their concentration, the quality of their sleep, and their ability to disconnect from their academics to a greater degree. If that sounds like you then think about incorporating different sound “colours” into your relaxation regiment.

For those who haven’t yet had the chance to fall into the niche world of “colour noise,” this term simply refers to the many “hues” or distinctions of ambient noise that exist within audio engineering. These hues are differentiated by their frequency, as well as the amplitude that the sound waves encompass. 

The most well-known type of colour sound is white noise, known for its ability to mask sound and increase relaxation. However there are many other varieties of ambient sound, such as brown or pink noise, that can be unbelievably useful for the needs of busy university students. The benefits of each of these will be discussed in the following paragraphs to help students use the correct sounds for their specific needs.

White Noise

White noise is characterized as high-pitched to the ear, with many comparing this type of noise to television static or the sound that an air conditioning unit would make. Something to note is that if the sound is examined, it lacks a specific pattern, which explains why it might appear as a chaotic sound for many. White noise, in simple terms, is the mixture of all the frequencies audible to the human ear, ranging from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

The main benefits of white noise that have been observed in an array of studies include: better sleep, sound masking, and managing symptoms of ADHD.

Taking that into account, white noise could massively help students who need to mask exterior sounds to study, or to help improve their sleeping experience, especially if they live in dorms or with roommates. It’s important to note that not everyone finds white noise pleasant to the ear, so other sound colours with similar benefits could be a better alternative.

Brown Noise

Brown noise is bass heavy and much richer than higher-pitched sounds such as white noise. The lower frequencies embodied by this kind of noise resemble the rumbling that one hears while driving or the sound of a steady waterfall.

Since brown noise has rich sound-muffling properties, it has the ability to conceal outside noise as well as narrowing focus, making it an effective soundtrack for work and overall focus. Research also appears to show that brown noise improves thinking skills.

Most, if not all, university students can relate to feeling unfocused or easily distracted, so implementing brown noise into your study or work routine could help students be more alert while working on assignments.

Pink Noise

Although it is well known that pink noise is similar to white noise, the main difference is that pink noise sounds softer and slightly more balanced to the human ear. To be more descriptive, pink noise is said to embody sounds that one would most often hear out in nature, such as the sounds of rain, wind or even heartbeats.