Deep rumble against neighbor noise
Noises, from deepest to highest
Very low, a hum you feel more than you hear.
Masks footsteps and thuds from upstairs neighbors, furniture being dragged, music bass, the washing machine, trucks.
With headphones or a speaker that has bass. A loud bang is still audible, but it stands out much less.
Deep and round, like a rushing river or the inside of a plane.
Masks traffic, snoring, the neighbors' TV, engines.
For falling asleep and unwinding.
Softer, like steady rain or a distant waterfall.
Masks conversations in the next room, distant traffic, everyday noise.
For focus or light sleep.
A high hiss, like TV static or an air vent.
Masks voices and conversations, keyboards, small high-pitched sounds, mild tinnitus.
For babies and open-plan offices.
How white noise helps your brain switch off
Huge gap: the brain jolts
Small gap: the noise goes unnoticed
- 1The background noise fills the silence.
- 2Sudden sounds stand out much less: the gap levels out.
- 3The brain stops watching for them and can finally relax.
Footsteps overhead, thuds, dragged furniture and music bass travel through floors because they are low-pitched. A very low, continuous sound makes them far less noticeable: your brain registers them less and ends up ignoring them.
Use headphones or a speaker that can play bass, and add a little brown noise for a fuller sound.
Stressed or sensitive to noise: why a sound can help
What wears you down is often not how loud a noise is, but how unpredictable: a slamming door, a raised voice, footsteps overhead. Your brain stays on alert, waiting for them. A soft, continuous sound fills the silence those noises used to stand out against: they become less noticeable and your attention can let go.
It helps at home and on the go: in a thin-walled apartment, in an open-plan office, on the train, or simply when you feel overwhelmed and need to shut the world out for a few minutes. Many people who are sensitive to noise use it to find a bit of calm.
How to get the most out of it
Headphones give the clearest effect, especially for low sounds. Small speakers or laptop speakers also work for pink and white noise; the deep rumble needs bass.
Set the volume just high enough for the annoying noise to blend into the sound, no higher. It's perfectly fine to sleep with white noise all night if it helps you feel good and relaxed: just keep the volume moderate. If you'd rather it stopped, pick a timer: the sound fades out gently. Start with the "Perfect mix", full in the lows and light in the highs, then adjust to taste.
Which sound for which noise?
Upstairs neighbors, footsteps, thuds, music bass: the deep rumble with a little brown noise. Traffic, snoring, the neighbors' TV: brown noise. Conversations, a noisy office: pink noise. A baby falling asleep: white noise at low volume, far from the crib. Just to relax: waves, the fireplace or the forest, in the ambient sounds tool.
Good to know
These sounds help you relax; they don't treat anything. If noise makes you suffer day to day, if you hear ringing (tinnitus) or if ordinary sounds become painful (hyperacusis), talk to a doctor or an ENT specialist. Always listen at a moderate volume, especially with headphones and at night.
Questions
How can I stop hearing my upstairs neighbors?
No sound makes a loud bang disappear, but a continuous deep rumble with a little brown noise makes it much less noticeable. The effect is clearest with headphones.
Why a low sound rather than white noise?
The noises that come through walls and floors are mostly low-pitched. High-pitched white noise covers them poorly; a low sound occupies the same frequencies.
What sound blocks out noisy neighbors?
For footsteps and thuds from upstairs, the very low deep rumble with a little brown noise: that's the "Noisy neighbors" mood. For voices or a TV, brown or pink noise. A loud bang is still audible, but it stands out much less.
White, pink or brown noise: what's the difference?
White noise is a high hiss, pink noise is softer, like rain, and brown noise is deep and round, like a rushing river. The lower you go, the more enveloping the sound; many people find brown or pink noise more restful than white.
Does it work without headphones?
Yes. Headphones give the best result, but small speakers are enough for most sounds. Only the deep rumble needs a speaker or headphones that can play bass.
Does the sound keep playing when the screen is locked?
Yes, on most recent phones: start the sound, then lock the screen. You can leave it on all night at a moderate volume; if you'd rather it faded out, set a timer.
Does white noise help babies sleep?
Many parents use it: it recalls the background sound heard before birth and covers household noise. Low volume, speaker far from the crib.
Can you leave white noise on all night?
Yes, at a moderate volume: there's no need to stop it if it helps you feel good and relaxed. If you'd rather it stopped, set a timer for up to 8 hours, with a fade-out at the end.
All noises : White noise · Brown noise · Pink noise
