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Pink Noise for Sleep May Be Backfiring,New Study Finds
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A growing number of people are turning to ambient sounds like rainfall and waves to improve sleep,but a new study from Penn Medicine suggests that pink noise – often touted as a gentler choice to white noise – may actually disrupt restorative sleep,notably REM sleep.
Sixteen percent of Americans currently use some form of broadband noise to aid sleep, but researchers are now questioning the widespread practice. The study, published Monday in the journal Sleep, reveals that exposure to pink noise can significantly reduce the duration of crucial sleep stages, raising concerns about long-term health impacts.
Understanding Pink Noise and Its Appeal
The Sleep Foundation defines pink noise as sound frequencies that decrease in power with each higher octave, resulting in a lower pitch. Unlike white noise,which resembles the static of an untuned radio,pink noise is frequently enough perceived as more natural,mimicking sounds like steady rainfall,wind,or ocean waves. Health experts have previously recommended pink noise for individuals struggling with sleep or seeking relaxation, believing it to be less jarring than its white noise counterpart.
The Penn Medicine Study: A Wake-Up Call
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted a week-long study involving 25 adults with no pre-existing sleep disorders or habit of using noise for sleep. Participants spent their nights in a sleep lab, exposed to varying sound conditions: aircraft noise, pink noise, a combination of both, and aircraft noise paired with earplugs. sleep quality, alertness, and other health metrics were assessed each morning.
The findings were striking. Exposure to aircraft noise alone resulted in a 23-minute reduction in the deepest stage of REM sleep. However, the use of earplugs effectively blocked out the disruptive air traffic sounds.Perhaps more surprisingly, pink noise by itself – equivalent to the sound of moderate rainfall – was linked to a 19-minute loss of REM sleep. The combination of pink noise and aircraft noise led to “significantly shorter” periods of both deep sleep and REM sleep compared to nights with no noise exposure.
Why REM Sleep Matters
“REM sleep is crucial for memory consolidation, emotional regulation and brain advancement,” explained Dr. Mathias Basner, the study’s lead author. “So our findings suggest that playing pink noise and other types of broadband noise during sleep could be harmful – especially for children whose brains are still developing and who spend much more time in REM sleep than adults.”
Participants consistently reported feeling less rested, experiencing more frequent awakenings, and perceiving a lower overall sleep quality when exposed to aircraft or pink noise. Conversely, using earplugs in conjunction with these noises demonstrably improved their sleep experience.
Implications and Future Research
The study’s authors emphasize the need for further investigation into the effects of pink noise, white noise, and other broadband noises. They specifically call for research focusing on vulnerable populations – particularly newborns and toddlers – as well as the long-term consequences of broadband noise exposure.
“our results caution against the use of broadband noise, especially for newborns and toddlers, and indicate that we need more research in vulnerable populations, on long-term use, on the different colors of broadband noise, and on safe broadband noise levels in relation to sleep,” Basner concluded.the findings suggest that for those seeking a peaceful night’s rest, a quieter environment – perhaps aided by earplugs – may be more beneficial than
