Using Pillow’s Colored Noises as Part of Your Bedtime Sleep Routine

Colored noises can help to drown out noise, relax the mind, and increase focus. Learn about the types of colored noise and how to use them to sleep better.

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When you’re looking for advice on how to fall asleep and stay asleep, one of the biggest tips is often to cut out distracting noise and find somewhere quiet to sleep. However, while removing distracting and jarring sounds is good for sleep, you don’t necessarily have to cut out all noise. In fact, some noise may even help you fall asleep. 
 
Colored noises, such as white, brown, or pink noise, often mimic natural sounds, such as rushing water or the wind rustling through leaves. In addition to relaxing your mind and body, these noises can also be used to drown out sounds that would otherwise keep you up.  
 
You can easily queue up colored noises for your nighttime routine using Pillow, so let’s explore the different options to help you find the colored noise that is best for you.  

What are Colored Noises? 

A colored noise is a sound that includes all the frequencies a human ear can hear, but the different colors emphasize different parts of the audible frequency spectrum. For example, white noise, the most commonly known colored noise, tends to emit all frequencies at the same intensity, while pink noise emphasizes the lower frequencies.  
 
Colored noises get their name because of the frequencies they emphasize. Like sound, colors have different frequencies based on where they fall on the visible light spectrum, and colored noises are named based on the color that shares its frequency placement. Take the color white, it is a mixture of all colors in the rainbow, and white noise is a mixture of all sound frequencies. Pink noise emphasizes the lower frequency, and the pink hue is found at the lower range of the visible light spectrum.  
 
In general, colored noises have a static-like sound, although some colors may resemble nature sounds, like waves at the beach or a steady rain. They differ from music because they don’t have a beat, rhythm, or discernable melodies. However, just like music, there may be some colored noises that you prefer over others.  

What Do Different Colored Noises Sound Like? 

Here are some sounds that the different colored noises can resemble:

  • White Noise: fan, air conditioner, TV static, vacuum 
  • Pink Noise: the hum of a fridge, rustling leaves, rain on a tin roof
  • Brown Noise: strong winds, rumbling thunder, crackling fire, a purring cat
  • Green Noise: rolling waves, heavy rainfall, driving noise, rustling leaves
  • Blue Noise: steam leaking from a pipe, computer fan, hissing
  • Violet Noise: running water from a faucet 

In general, lower-frequency colored noises, such as white, pink, and brown, are best for relaxing the mind and promoting sleepiness. In comparison, green, blue, and violet noise, with their emphasis on higher frequencies, are best for focusing the brain as you work.  

However, everyone has different preferences for colored noises—you may find some annoying and others soothing. It’s best to experiment with them all and see which colored noises you prefer.  

The Benefits of Colored Noises

The human ear can hear frequencies ranging from 10 Hz to 20,000 Hz, generally divided into lower, mid, and high frequencies.  
 
The different colored noises, and the frequencies they emphasize, can produce different reactions in the body, some of which include:

  • Boosting productivity
  • Improving focus
  • Relaxing the mind and body
  • Enhancing creativity and memory
  • Increasing mental clarity or sharpness
  • Decreasing fatigue
  • Soothing stress and anxiety
  • Reducing irritation or distraction due to other sounds 

Essentially, colored noises help to block out sounds, a phenomenon called auditory masking, which can then help to focus the mind and reduce distractions.  
 
For example, imagine you live somewhere where you hear cars honking all night, or you have a loud neighbor who always stomps on the floor above you while you’re sleeping—these erratic sounds can wake you up during the night, interrupting your sleep. Using colored noises helps mask these changes in sound, keeping you asleep and allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed.  
 
While there is not a lot of research on the subject of colored noises, what exists is positive. One study on adults in New York City found that white noise prevented nighttime wakings due to environmental noise disruptions, and another study found that pink noise promoted more stable sleep.  
 
The benefits of colored noises also extend beyond drowning out distracting noises. Colored noises can help you fall asleep thanks to their ability to drown out thoughts that trigger anxiety and calm your heart rate. If you cannot fall asleep at night because your mind is continually racing, colored noises may help to quiet your mind and relax enough to fall asleep.  

Our Tips For Incorporating Pillow’s Colored Noises Into Your Bedtime Routine 

If you’re interested in how colored noises can amplify your bedtime routine, here are some tips for getting the most from them: 

Test Out Different Colors 

We all have preferences for noise, and you will likely prefer one sound over another. You won’t know what you prefer, though, until you try them out.  
 
Browse Pillow’s sound library to check out the different colored noise options. If you find one too stimulating for sleep, opt for a lower-frequency colored noise. If you need a greater distraction, try one that’s higher. Keep experimenting until you find the sound that instantly quiets your mind. 

Keep The Volume Low

If you fear getting awoken during the night, you may be tempted to turn the sound up, but playing anything too loud, even colored noises, may damage your hearing.  
 
The CDC warns that listening to anything above 75 decibels (think the sound of your washing machine or dishwasher) for over eight hours can increase your risk of hearing loss. So, if the colored noise is so loud you cannot talk normally and still be heard, turn it down.  
 
As an added benefit, listening at a lower volume is better for helping you fall asleep. 

Be Consistent 

According to research, the most effective bedtime routines are those that are consistent, so make sure you use colored noises each night to see the greatest benefit. Ideally, try to play the same noise at the same volume, as well.  
 
We recommend starting your chosen colored noise when winding down for bed, such as while reading a book or journaling. This way, your body can start preparing for sleep before you even lay in bed.  

Listen to Colored Noises Using Pillow 

We understand how sound can influence your sleep, which is why Pillow makes it easy to listen to colored noises during the night. You don’t have to worry about searching for a colored noise track long enough to last you all night because, with Pillow, the sounds are included directly within the app.  
 
Browse our collection of colored noises to find which one leaves you ready for sleep, and we’ll see you again when you wake up. 

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Written by

Jessica G.

Medical writer freelancer who has written hundreds of articles on varying topics. Masters of Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering.

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