What Is Brown Noise and Can It Help People With ADHD?

Imagine the sound of rumbling thunder or a raging sea in the background. These sounds are called brown noise.

Brown noise is an ambient sound that is said to help tackle inattention in adults with ADHD.

It’s currently an unexplored tool for productivity and focus, but the concept isn’t new. For instance, you might have heard of white noise. This is another type of ambient noise that has also been associated with better sleep, relaxation, and a sharper mind.^{[1, 2]}

If you have ADHD, you may be interested in leveraging sounds or music to improve your focus and productivity. There isn’t a universally effective or beneficial sound for this condition, so it might take some experimentation to determine which works best for you.

That said, there are claims that brown noise can help those with symptoms of ADHD, though the exact mechanism behind this is still up for debate.

What Is Brown Noise?

Brown noise is one of the many “colors” of noise. As mentioned earlier, white noise is one of the most well-known ambient noises. Other examples include pink noise and green noise.

These sounds are differentiated based on the frequency and amplitude of their sound waves.

Brown noise, like white noise, comprises all the frequencies the human ear can pick up. However, it’s more prominent in the lower frequencies, giving it a deeper, lower-pitched, rumbling sound.

Brown noise is commonly described as:

• A thunderstorm or heavy rainfall
• A rumbling jet engine
• Strong river current
• Roaring seas
• Strong wind
• A waterfall

It has a lower, deeper, and more natural sound than other ambient noises like white or pink. Because of this, you might find this sound more soothing and pleasant to listen to.

If you feel more relaxed and focused while on an airplane or in a fast-moving car, you might benefit from listening to brown noise.

What Does Brown Noise Do for People With ADHD?

People with ADHD often struggle to focus, especially when tackling unstimulating or repetitive tasks. This is due to how the ADHD brain is wired.

There are various structural and chemical differences between the ADHD brain and the non-ADHD brain. One such difference is linked to levels of a chemical messenger known as dopamine. A dysregulation in the dopamine pathway of the ADHD brain can contribute to symptoms of ADHD, including inattention.^[3]

Scientists have also found that people with lower dopamine levels in the brain, such as those with ADHD, require more noise for optimal performance. Thus, research suggests that having a certain amount of noise playing in the background may improve the brain’s performance in those with ADHD.^[4]

But how does brown noise work for those with ADHD? 

Due to the lack of dopamine in the ADHD brain, more stimulation is required to promote focus. Brown noise may help arouse and stimulate the brain, allowing the person to concentrate better on their task.

There’s another suggested mechanism by which ambient noise can benefit those with ADHD.

Listening to these sounds is an auditory masking technique. In other words, the ambient sounds you listen to can overpower background noises in your surroundings.

Since people with ADHD can get easily distracted by surrounding stimuli, listening to brown noise could help minimize auditory distractions, allowing them to concentrate better on what they’re doing.

Some people may also find that it helps quiet their internal whirlwind of thoughts, making it easier to focus.

Benefits of Brown Noise

Some reported benefits of brown noise include the following:

• Improved focus and productivity: This ambient noise can help to stimulate the ADHD brain as well as drown out surrounding background sounds and chatter that might distract you.
• Reduced stress: Some people find that listening to brown noise produces a calming sensation due to its deeper frequency and sound.
• Enhanced relaxation and sleep: Due to the soothing effects of brown noise, it can help promote relaxation. It may also help muffle noises around you at night, allowing you to fall asleep faster.

Nonetheless, these benefits are mainly based on anecdotal evidence. Currently, there is a lack of research proving the benefits of brown noise.

Most research on the benefits of ambient noise for ADHD generally focuses on white noise for children. And based on findings, white noise improved the attention and cognitive performance of people with ADHD.^[5]

Experts suggest that the same concept and mechanism of action may apply to brown noise, which could make it a viable tool for enhancing focus in ADHD.

That said, what works for someone else might not work for you. It’s best to experiment with different types of music and ambient sounds to find what helps your productivity best.

Can Brown Noise Be Harmful?

Brown noise in itself isn’t harmful. But the biggest cause of concern is playing brown noise, or any ambient noise for that matter, at a volume that’s too loud.

If you’re using music or sounds to improve your sleep and productivity, protecting your hearing is important. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the volume, frequency, and duration of listening can affect your hearing.^[6]

Here are some tips to ensure that you’re listening to brown noise or any other sounds safely:^[6]

• Keep the volume below 80 dB on average. As a point of reference, 80 dB is equivalent to the noise of a busy street or doorbell. Generally, you should keep your device’s volume to about 60% of its maximum level.
• Invest in noise-canceling earphones. This can help to minimize surrounding noise, so you won’t need to turn the volume up as high.
• Use an app to monitor the volume of what you’re listening to. Some devices can also automatically send a warning if you’re listening to something too loud.

Another possible downside of listening to brown noise is being distracted by the sound. Because ADHD affects everyone differently, over-arousal is also possible with music and these ambient sounds.

To sum it up, there isn’t much risk tied to brown noise. If you’re keen on using brown noise as an ADHD productivity tool, there are a few ways you can get your hands on these soundtracks. The easiest way to do this is to listen to them using online streaming platforms.

Brown Noise May Be a Useful ADHD Productivity Tool

There isn’t much research yet proving the benefits and effectiveness of brown noise.

However, anecdotal evidence suggests that brown noise can improve focus, productivity, and sleep in ADHD. That’s because brown noise may be able to mimic the effects of dopamine on the ADHD brain as well as minimize internal and external distractions.

If you wish to utilize brown noise for a productivity boost, ensure that you practice safe listening habits.

Looking for more ways to stay productive? Check out ADDA+, where you’ll find expert-driven resources, courses, and tools for adults with ADHD. It’s a supportive community that will help you unlock your true potential and achieve your life goals!

References

[1] Ebben, M. R., Yan, P., & Krieger, A. C. (2021). The effects of white noise on sleep and duration in individuals living in a high noise environment in New York City. Sleep medicine, 83, 256–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.03.031

[2] Angwin, A. J., Wilson, W. J., Arnott, W. L., Signorini, A., Barry, R. J., & Copland, D. A. (2017). White noise enhances new-word learning in healthy adults. Scientific reports, 7(1), 13045. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-13383-3

[3] Volkow, N. D., Wang, G. J., Kollins, S. H., Wigal, T. L., Newcorn, J. H., Telang, F., Fowler, J. S., Zhu, W., Logan, J., Ma, Y., Pradhan, K., Wong, C., & Swanson, J. M. (2009). Evaluating dopamine reward pathway in ADHD: clinical implications. JAMA, 302(10), 1084–1091. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.1308

[4] Söderlund, G., Sikström, S., & Smart, A. (2007). Listen to the noise: noise is beneficial for cognitive performance in ADHD. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 48(8), 840–847. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01749.x

[5] Lin H. Y. (2022). The Effects of White Noise on Attentional Performance and On-Task Behaviors in Preschoolers with ADHD. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(22), 15391. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215391

[6] Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening. (n.d.). World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening