From Distraction to Focus: The Science of White Noise

Have you ever felt when you sit down to work or study and there is just so much noise around you distracting you? It might be even the slightest buzzing of a refrigerator that makes you reread that email 3 times. What is the first thing we resort to in situations like that? Headphones blasting music of course. However, it’s your favorite song, and the lyrics start playing in your head, and you’re rereading the email for the 6th time now. Sounds similar? Well, you’re not alone; many people experience this on a daily basis. That’s why I’m here to introduce you to White Noise. 

White noise is a perfectly curated sound that keeps repeating to drown out background noise. Let me explain it scientifically. White noise is a consistent sound that contains all frequencies at equal intensity. Now, what on earth does that do, you ask? Well, research says, when you repeatedly receive a stimulus, your neuron ( which sends signals to the brain to tell it to act) starts firing less frequently, and as there is no change in the stimulus, your brain stops reacting to it, and the only change is the sentence you’re reading, so your brain focuses on that. Brilliant, isn’t it?

White noise also supposedly helps with memory retention, problem-solving and creativity, although I haven’t seen much research on it. It can also help with sleep, so it is an all-round benefit to your day. It’s not too difficult incorporating it into your life; youtube has 5 hour videos of white noise, so you could select any one and start listening.