On this page
- What’s actually different between them
- Does white noise help you sleep?
- Is pink noise better for deep sleep?
- Is brown noise good for sleep?
- How to choose the right noise for your room
- Is it bad to sleep with noise on every night?
- What about white noise for babies?
- When noise isn’t the real problem
- Common questions
The short answer None of the three colors has good evidence that it improves sleep on its own. Use whichever one you find least annoying, because the real job is masking sudden sounds. White noise is a bright hiss, pink is softer like steady rain, and brown is a deep rumble. Keep the volume low, and if outside noise is the problem, earplugs did better than pink noise in a recent lab test.
| White noise | Pink noise | Brown noise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Equal energy at every audible frequency | Volume drops 3 dB per octave, so less treble | Volume drops 6 dB per octave, so mostly bass |
| Sounds like | Radio static, a hissing fan or air conditioner | Steady rain, wind, a waterfall | Steady heavy rain, a shower, a deep hum |
| Masks best | High-pitched sounds: voices, dogs, beeps | A mix of high and low sounds | Low sounds: traffic rumble, bass through walls, snoring |
| Sleep evidence | Very low quality overall; mixed results | Lab studies on memory used timed pulses, not all-night play; one 2026 trial found less REM sleep | Almost no direct sleep research |
| Who tends to like it | People who want maximum masking | People who find white noise harsh | People who find both others too bright |
Definitions above follow the Sleep Foundation’s descriptions of white, pink and brown noise. Note that “colors” beyond these three, like green or gray, don’t have strict definitions and get used loosely.
What’s actually different between them
All three are broadband noise: a steady mix of many frequencies with no rhythm or melody for your brain to follow. The color tells you how the energy is spread out.
White noise puts equal energy into every frequency. The result sounds bright and hissy. Pink noise turns the high end down by 3 decibels for each octave you go up, which sounds more balanced to most people. Brown noise (also called red noise) drops 6 decibels per octave, leaving a low, rumbly sound.
There’s no magic in the names. If you turn the treble down on a white noise app, you’re moving toward pink. That’s why the right choice is mostly about which sounds you need to cover and what you can stand to listen to for eight hours.
Does white noise help you sleep?
The honest answer is that nobody has shown it well. A 2021 systematic review looked at 38 studies of continuous white noise or similar broadband sound and rated the quality of evidence that it improves sleep as very low. Results ranged from noise improving sleep to noise disrupting it. The authors noted this contradicts how widely it’s used, and warned that continuous noise could also affect sleep and hearing negatively.
That doesn’t mean it’s useless for you. The logic of masking is sound: a sudden noise is jarring partly because it stands out against silence. A steady background lowers that contrast, so a door closing or a dog barking is less likely to jolt you. Masking is most likely to help in a room with unpredictable noise, and least likely to help in a room that’s already quiet.
Is pink noise better for deep sleep?
Not in the way it’s usually sold. The famous pink noise studies didn’t play a steady track all night. In a 2013 study in Neuron, researchers played short sounds timed to the up-phase of each slow brain wave during deep sleep, using live brain monitoring, and found stronger slow waves and better overnight memory. A 2017 study in 13 older adults used precisely timed pulses of pink noise the same way and saw better word recall the next morning.
A phone app or speaker can’t do that. It doesn’t know when your brain is in a slow wave. So those results tell you very little about pink noise playing on a loop.
When researchers did test continuous pink noise, it didn’t look good. A 2026 lab study in Sleep had 25 healthy adults spend seven nights in a sleep lab with traffic-type noise, pink noise at 40 or 50 dBA, earplugs, or combinations. Pink noise on its own reduced REM sleep compared with a quiet night, and adding it to traffic noise made overall sleep structure worse, even though it slightly reduced some noise-triggered awakenings. Foam earplugs blocked nearly all the effects of the traffic noise until it reached the loudest level tested, 65 dBA.
That’s one small study in young, healthy adults over single nights, so it isn’t the final word. A smaller 2026 pilot in 12 adults found continuous pink noise at 45 dB reduced sleep fragmentation from traffic noise. Taken together, the research gives you no reason to believe pink noise deepens sleep, and some reason to keep the volume modest.
Is brown noise good for sleep?
Brown noise has a big following online, not in sleep labs. We couldn’t find a controlled trial testing it for sleep. Its appeal is practical: the low rumble covers low-pitched sounds like traffic, a neighbor’s bass or a partner’s snoring, and some people find it less irritating than a hiss. If that describes your problem, it’s a reasonable thing to try. Just don’t expect it to change your sleep stages.
How to choose the right noise for your room
- Name the sound you’re trying to cover. High and sharp (voices, a barking dog, a beeping truck) points to white or pink. Low and rumbling (traffic, an upstairs TV, snoring) points to brown.
- Try each one for a few nights. Play it at the lowest volume that takes the edge off the disruptive sound. A week of trying beats any rule of thumb.
- Keep it quieter than a conversation. NIDCD says sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss even after long exposure, while long exposure at 85 dBA or more can. Normal conversation is 60 to 70 dBA. For sleep, aim well below that; the lab study above used 40 to 50 dBA. A free decibel meter app gives a rough reading from your pillow.
- Put the source across the room, not next to your head, especially if you use headphones or a speaker on the nightstand.
- Use a timer if quiet is the goal. If you only need help falling asleep, set the noise to fade out after 30 to 60 minutes rather than running all night.
- Consider earplugs instead, or as well. For outside noise, earplugs outperformed pink noise in the 2026 lab study. Our foam vs silicone vs wax earplugs guide explains the trade-offs.
Is it bad to sleep with noise on every night?
For most adults at a low volume, there’s no evidence of harm, and also no strong evidence of benefit. The two real concerns are volume and, based on that one 2026 study, possible effects on REM sleep that haven’t been studied long term. If you rely on noise every night and still wake up tired, try a week with earplugs or a quieter setting and compare how you feel.
Dependence is more a habit than a medical problem. People who use noise for years sometimes find silence harder to sleep in, which matters mostly when traveling. A phone app can solve that.
What about white noise for babies?
Be more careful here. When researchers measured 14 infant sleep machines at maximum volume, all of them exceeded 50 dBA at 30 cm, the recommended limit for hospital nurseries, and three topped 85 dBA, a level that over 8 hours exceeds workplace limits for adults. The authors of the 2026 Sleep study also urged caution with all-night broadband noise for newborns and toddlers, for whom REM sleep is critical to development.
If you use a machine for a baby, keep it well away from the crib and turn the volume down low. Ask your pediatrician if you’re unsure.
If a snoring partner is the noise, brown noise can blunt it, but it rarely covers loud snoring completely. See how to sleep next to a snoring partner for options that work together.
When noise isn’t the real problem
If you can’t sleep in a perfectly quiet room either, the issue probably isn’t sound. Racing thoughts, an irregular schedule and caffeine are more common culprits. Start with how to fall asleep fast, then check the rest of your room against our best temperature for sleep guide, or browse Bedroom.
Common questions
Which is better for sleep, white, pink or brown noise?
No color has good evidence of improving sleep on its own. Pick the one that best covers the sounds that wake you and that you find least annoying: white or pink for higher sounds, brown for low rumbles.
Does pink noise increase deep sleep?
Lab studies that boosted deep sleep used short pulses timed to brain waves with live monitoring, which apps can't do. A 2026 lab trial of continuous pink noise found it reduced REM sleep.
How loud should white noise be for sleep?
Quieter than normal conversation, which is 60 to 70 dBA. A 2026 lab study used 40 to 50 dBA, and NIDCD says long exposure at 85 dBA or more can damage hearing.
Is brown noise good for sleep?
There's almost no direct sleep research on it. Its deep rumble can mask low sounds like traffic or snoring, so it's a reasonable option if those are your problem.
Written and checked by the Sleep Brief editors. We base every article on published research and guidance from medical bodies, and link the sources inline. How we research.
This article is for general education and isn't medical advice. If poor sleep lasts more than a few weeks, or you snore loudly, stop breathing in your sleep or feel sleepy while driving, talk to a doctor.
