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Robert MacKinnon, Clinical Scientist and Deputy Head of School for Psychology, Sports and Sensory Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

Pink noise: what is it and can listening to it make your sleep worse?

Sorapop Udomsri/Shutterstock

Are you one of those people who can’t drop off to sleep if it’s “too quiet”? If so, you’re not alone. According to a 2023 survey of UK participants, 50% of people listen to some kind of noise to help fall asleep.

Many people have turned to pink, white or brown noise to help them drift off. But a new study has found listening to pink noise, an alternative to white noise, even to drown out irritating background sounds, can disrupt the quality of sleep you get.

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