Pink noise vs white noise (and brown noise) for sound sensitivity

What the colours mean

Every sound is made of different frequencies, from low rumbles to high hisses. The “colour” of a noise describes how its energy is shared out across them.

• White noise has equal intensity at every frequency, which gives it a bright, hissy sound.
• Pink noise has energy that falls as the pitch rises, so each octave carries the same energy. The result has more low and middle sound than white noise.
• Brown noise, sometimes called red noise, falls away even more steeply with pitch, so most of its energy sits in the low frequencies.

All three are types of broadband noise: they cover a wide range of pitches at once, with no tune or rhythm to follow.

How they sound

People often compare white noise to wind or a strong waterfall. Pink noise is usually described as softer, and brown noise as a deeper rumble. How pleasant they feel is personal, but in two studies with over 1,300 listeners in total, white noise was rated as the most uneasy of the three, and brown noise scored higher than white or pink on calm, positive feelings. None of the three felt fully neutral.

At a glance

What the evidence says for hyperacusis

Sound therapy is one of the main approaches to hyperacusis. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association describes it as listening to low-level sounds for long periods, with the level or duration raised gradually over time. Its list of options starts with continuous low-level broadband noise, alongside music and environmental sounds. The NHS mentions portable speakers that make white noise, and the Hearing Health Foundation notes that some people with mild loudness hyperacusis improve with very soft broadband sound.

What these sources do not do is name a best colour. There is little evidence that pink, white or brown noise works better than the others for hyperacusis, so the most useful noise is usually one you find comfortable enough to leave on for a long time.

What about tinnitus?

Pink noise has also been studied for tinnitus. One 2023 study gave 43 adults with tinnitus and hearing loss music therapy built on pink noise, played through hearing aids, and their tinnitus handicap scores improved. It had no comparison group, though, so it cannot show that pink noise itself caused the change.

More broadly, a Cochrane review of hearing aids and sound generators for tinnitus found no evidence that they beat a waiting list, placebo or information alone, and the quality of the evidence was low. That does not mean sound cannot help, only that the research is still thin. If you have both conditions, our guide to tinnitus and hyperacusis covers the bigger picture.

Noise for sleep

Many people use white, pink or brown noise to fall asleep. A 2021 systematic review of 38 studies found the evidence that continuous noise improves sleep was of very low quality, with some studies showing better sleep and others worse. The authors also noted it may affect hearing. A 2025 perspective in the journal Sleep described findings on ambient sounds such as white and pink noise as inconclusive. If a quiet background noise helps you settle, it is reasonable to keep using it, but it is not a proven sleep treatment. Our guide to living with hyperacusis has more on sleep.

Keep it low and comfortable

For sound sensitivity, the aim is gentle background sound, not loud sound. A few practical points:

• Start quiet. Choose a level you can listen to easily, and raise level or listening time only gradually.
• Stop if it hurts. The NHS advises stopping and contacting your doctor if sounds during sound therapy are uncomfortably loud or painful.
• Watch headphone volume. The World Health Organization suggests keeping your device at no more than 60% of maximum volume.
• Remember that time matters. WHO puts safe listening at up to 40 hours a week at 80 dB. NIDCD says sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss, even after long exposure.

Pain is a signal to pause. If sound causes ear pain, talk to a doctor or audiologist before starting any noise at home. They can help shape a plan that fits you.

Choosing your noise

Try each colour for a few minutes at a low volume and notice which one you can forget about. For many people that is pink or brown noise, but there is no wrong answer. Sound therapy tends to work best as part of a wider plan with education and, for many people, CBT. See hyperacusis treatment for the full picture.