186 – Pink Noise

Pink noise claims it can boost your memory, help your sleep, and treat your ADHD.

But how it’s studied in a sleep lab is very different from passive listening all night long.

Chris and Sophie dive into the evidence to figure out if the influencers pushing pink noise for sleep got it right or if they’re simply dreaming.

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Editor: Robyn Flynn Researcher: Danielle Kaprelian Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J.

Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably).

This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References: The different colours of noise from white to pink to brown: https://www.allure.com/story/what-is-brown-noise-pink-white-sound-therapy The famous 2017 “memory enhancement” study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00109/full A lay summary of the above study: https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/4694555/pink-noise-deep-sleep-improve-memory/ The study showing pink noise might make things worse: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/49/5/zsag001/8452884 Dr. F.

Perry Wilson’s Medscape video series on pink noise: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/pink-noise-could-be-wrecking-your-sleep-2026a100039x A 2022 systematic review on overall sleep quality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34964434/ Memory claims and pink noise: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1302836/full Examples of white and pink noise are found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pink_noise.ogg and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:White-noise-sound-20sec-mono-44100Hz.ogg