What pink noise is
Pink noise1 has equal energy in every octave. An octave is a doubling in pitch, so the octave from 100 to 200 Hz gets as much energy as the much wider band from 5,000 to 10,000 Hz. The result follows the way we hear: it sounds even from low to high, without white noise’s hiss.
It is everywhere in nature. Steady rain, wind in trees, a waterfall and even the rhythm of a heartbeat all have a pink-like spectrum, which may be why it sounds familiar and calm. Sound engineers also use it to tune speakers, because it tests every octave equally.
Pink noise and sleep research
Pink noise gets attention because of sleep studies. In small lab studies, short bursts of pink noise played in time with the brain’s slow waves during deep sleep made those waves stronger, and people remembered word pairs better the next morning 2, including older adults 3. Those studies used precisely timed pulses, not a steady background, so a pink noise track at home isn’t the same thing.
A steady background may even work the other way. In a 2026 sleep-lab study of 25 healthy adults, pink noise played all night at 50 decibels was linked to almost 19 fewer minutes of REM sleep a night, and earplugs protected sleep from traffic noise better than pink noise did 4. It’s one small study, but it’s a good reason to keep any sleep sound quiet and to use the timer if you only need help falling asleep. For a night-time setup see sleep sounds.
How to use it
- For focus: pink noise on its own at a low level is a good all-day background. It hides office talk without the fatigue of white noise.
- For sleep: keep it quiet and set the timer to fade it out, or let it run if steady sound helps you stay asleep.
- For a natural feel: mix it with rain or a waterfall and it becomes hard to tell where the noise ends and nature begins.
Where it sits between white and brown
| White | Pink | Brown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy per octave going up | Doubles (+3 dB) | Stays the same | Halves (−3 dB) |
| Energy per hertz | Flat | Falls 3 dB per octave | Falls 6 dB per octave |
| Sounds like | TV static, air hiss | Steady rain, wind | Distant waterfall, surf |
| Good at masking | Voices, high sounds | A bit of everything | Rumble, traffic, bass |
Read white noise vs pink noise for the full comparison, or what is pink noise? for the science. Our pink noise uses a well-known filter design (Paul Kellet’s) that holds a true 3 dB per octave slope across the range you hear; an automatic test checks it.
Keep it quiet. Background sound works at a low level: about as loud as a soft shower or a quiet conversation across the room. If you have to raise your voice over it, turn it down. For comparison, the workplace limit NIOSH recommends is 85 decibels averaged over 8 hours 5; background sound should be far below that. For sleep, lower is better, and keep phones and speakers away from your pillow.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Pink noise. en.wikipedia.org.
- Ngo HV, Martinetz T, Born J, Mölle M (2013). Auditory closed-loop stimulation of the sleep slow oscillation enhances memory. Neuron 78(3):545–553.
- Papalambros NA, Santostasi G, Malkani RG, et al. (2017). Acoustic enhancement of sleep slow oscillations and concomitant memory improvement in older adults. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 11:109.
- Basner M, et al. (2026). Efficacy of pink noise and earplugs for mitigating the effects of intermittent environmental noise exposure on sleep. Sleep.
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC) (2024). Noise-induced hearing loss. cdc.gov.
Questions
Is pink noise better for sleep than white noise?
Many people find it more pleasant because it’s softer. Lab studies of timed pink noise pulses during deep sleep are promising but small, and a steady track at home is different: a 2026 study found all-night pink noise at 50 dB reduced REM sleep. Keep it quiet, or use a timer.
What does pink noise sound like?
Like steady rain, a waterfall or wind through trees: an even, soft rush without the bright hiss of white noise.
Can pink noise help with tinnitus?
Sound therapy with broadband noise is a common way to make tinnitus less noticeable, and pink noise is often used because it’s comfortable. An audiologist can tell you what fits your hearing, and should be your first stop for tinnitus.
Is pink noise free here?
Yes, with every other sound, the mixer, a timer up to an hour and share links. No sign-up or ads.
Last updated .