Recently a TikTok of Natalya Bubb went viral after sharing how she controls her neurodivergent ADHD brain using " brown noise." The video of Natalya listening to brown noises for the first time quickly reached 9.7 million views, with many relating to her daily struggles.
Brown Noise and ADHD
People diagnosed with ADHD face daily difficulties concentrating and often appear restless and impulsive. Brown noise, according to Natalya and other people with ADHD, can be relaxing. The hashtag for brown noise has over 69 million views on TikTok as more and more users express their agreement with Natalya touting the benefits of the sound.
Dr. Mathias Basna, a professor of sleep and chronobiology at the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, says to Newsweek that since many are using social media, the public health consequences of the trend can be enormous; however, as of now, there is little to no research on the topic.
A professor who previously researched the matter states that brown noise can benefit or cause detrimental effects on sleep. Despite this, experts say that patients suffering from insomnia and anxiety or people living in busy urban neighborhoods find the sound calming and beneficial for their rest.
Like white noise, brown noise is a mix of frequencies mixed with masking smaller sounds; brown noise has lower frequencies and contains more bass. Sound of Sleep, a sound machine supplier in Silicon Valley, says that the sound is similar to hard, gentle surf that comes with storms, while the sound of light to medium rainfall is known as real-word pink noise.
Out of the three, researchers categorize pink noise as the most refined.
A study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, titled "Acoustic Enhancement of Sleep Slow Oscillations and Concomitant Memory Improvement in Older Adults." suggests that such noises help older adults improve memory and get a better night's sleep.
Another study from the International Islamic University Malaysia used sound and memory training in video games to reduce ADHD symptoms by 50% in young children. Meanwhile, the relationship between ADHD and sound therapy continues to be studied.
What is ADHD?
Roughly 6.1 million children in the US have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to a 2016 parent survey reported by the CDC. This includes children aged two to 11 years, with boys more likely to be diagnosed than girls.
ADHD remains the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Usually, it is first diagnosed during childhood but often lasts well into adulthood. Children diagnosed may face trouble paying attention, impulse control, and being overly active.
Common signs and symptoms observed in children with ADHD are a lot of daydreaming, easily forgetting or losing things, fidgets and squirming, talking too much, taking unnecessary risks, finding it hard to resist temptation, having trouble taking turns, and facing difficulties with getting along with others.
Whether or not brown noise is clinically effective in combating symptoms of ADHD is debatable; experts hope that more facts come to light as studies progress.
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