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Brown noise is a deep, soft noise with most of its energy in the low end. It has not been studied for sleep on its own, so it is not proven to work better than other sounds. It is a good choice if white noise sounds harsh or if low noise such as traffic or snoring keeps you awake. Keep it at a low volume.
What brown noise is
Brown noise puts most of its energy in the low end. Its power falls by about 6 dB each time the frequency doubles, so it sounds deep and soft, closer to heavy surf or a distant waterfall than to static. The name comes from Brownian motion, the random movement of particles that the noise mimics mathematically, not from the colour. Brown noise, measured compares six versions.
Does brown noise help you sleep?
There is no good study of brown noise for sleep. Research on noise and sleep has mostly used white and pink noise, and a 2021 systematic review rated the evidence that steady noise improves sleep as very low certainty. Claims that brown noise deepens sleep or calms the mind are not backed by published research.
That does not make it useless. If a sound helps you stop noticing the room, that is reason enough to use it, and brown noise has two practical strengths: it has no hiss, and it covers low sounds well.
Brown noise benefits: what is claimed
Most benefits listed for brown noise are shared with all background sound, and some are not tested at all:
| Claim | What is known |
|---|---|
| It covers traffic and snoring | Plausible: brown noise has most of its energy low, where those sounds are. This is how masking works, not a special property. |
| It is less harsh than white noise | True in the sense that it has little high-frequency energy. Whether you prefer it is personal. |
| It helps you fall asleep or sleep deeper | Not studied for brown noise. Evidence for steady noise in general is very low certainty. |
| It helps focus or ADHD | Not established. Studies of noise and attention are mixed, and brown noise specifically has barely been tested. |
Brown noise vs white noise for sleep
Between 2 and 12 kHz, Deep brown falls 3.4 dB per octave and White static rises 1.6 dB per octave. Relative to its overall level, Deep brown measures −14.5 dB at 2 kHz and −23.5 dB at 12 kHz: very little at the top, which is why it has no hiss.
Neither has been shown to work better for sleep. Choose brown if white noise sounds harsh or low noise keeps you awake, and white if voices are the problem. What colour noise is best for sleep? sets out the choice.
Band by band, in numbers
| Band | Deep brown | White static | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kHz | −14.5 dB | −7.8 dB | +6.7 dB |
| 2.5 kHz | −15.7 dB | −7.2 dB | +8.5 dB |
| 3 kHz | −16.7 dB | −6.6 dB | +10.1 dB |
| 4 kHz | −18.1 dB | −5.7 dB | +12.4 dB |
| 5 kHz | −19.2 dB | −4.8 dB | +14.4 dB |
| 6 kHz | −20.0 dB | −4.2 dB | +15.8 dB |
| 8 kHz | −21.2 dB | −3.5 dB | +17.7 dB |
| 10 kHz | −22.4 dB | −3.8 dB | +18.6 dB |
| 12 kHz | −23.5 dB | −4.6 dB | +18.9 dB |
Deep brown noise and smoothed brown noise
Recordings sold as deep or smoothed brown noise are usually brown noise with even less at the top, sometimes filtered further so it sounds like a soft rumble. Hush's darker brown sounds work the same way: Midnight brown falls 5.4 dB per octave between 2 and 12 kHz, steeper than Deep brown.
How to use it
Treat it like any new sleep sound:
- Keep it at a comfortable, low volume. Deep sounds can seem quieter than they are, so do not turn it up to feel it.
- Place the speaker across the room.
- Use a sleep timer with a fade, or let it play all night.
- Try it for a few nights. If it feels too heavy, pink noise is the next step up.
