A few years ago, I discovered the site Simply Noise. It’s a website and app that plays white noise, pink noise, and brown noise with just a few clicks.

This was a game changer for me in the workplace.

The site saved me many times in a noisy office, like when people in the cubicles next to me were chatting and I couldn’t concentrate to save my life.

They also have a site called Simply Rain.

Just the other day, I was working a cafe, and the guy next to me was sniffing and snorting with a runny nose. I don’t know why he didn’t just blow his nose, but I felt like I could hear his grossness rattling around in his nose every 10 seconds. Disgusting! A brief dirty look didn’t help, and then I remembered Simply Noise. Thank goodness!!!! I turned the volume up to the max.

I also use Coffitivity sometimes when I don’t feel like plain ol’ white noise. It mimics the ambient noise of a cafe. It sounds weird, but try it!

What is pink noise vs white noise vs brown noise?

You’ve probably heard of white noise, but what is pink and brown noise? And what is the difference of pink noise vs white noise?

Well, pink noise has equal energy per octave, and therefore it has has more low-frequency components than white noise. So pink noise might sound “lower”, like there’s more bass.

Brown noise is just a deeper version of pink, and is the one I prefer to listen to. It is less “sharp” to my ears; more rumbly.

Do sudden noises make you really jump? You aren’t alone!

My recommendations for the best white noise machines

For at least a year now, I’ve used a white noise machine to sleep. I got one when I started struggling with insomnia. The machine creates a constant, soothing sound for my brain to focus on, rather than my thoughts going wild when I’m trying to fall asleep (you know what I’m talking about!!) It also can drown out other noises that might wake you up during the night–like a snoring partner or birds!

I use the very simple HoMedics white noise machine every night. It’s inexpensive and super easy to use. There are 6 sound settings, but I pretty much only use the white noise and occasionally the rain. Because it’s small and light, it’s travel friendly. You can also use it with batteries.

The most popular unit–and the one you always see outside every therapists’ door–is the Dohm DS white noise machine. It has an actual fan inside and creates sounds like whooshing air. (It doesn’t actually blow air, though). You can adjust the pitch up or down to find what you like, and apparently it’s great for babies, too.

When do you listen to white noise? Share your comments below!