Does White (Pink, Brown) Noise Improve Attention in ADHD?

[@Mary-st3vt]

Quality brown noise is so soothing to me ✈️

[@robotlove3000]

I agree, it’s my favorite.

[@stargazerbird]

In memoriam of all those schoolchildren shut in their bedrooms and told to turn off the music to do their homework. Now I know why that was deadly for me. I still use a background noise like waves or waterfalls or rain when I am at home. Silence freaks me out.

[@kissa3168]

It's like that additional noise stimulation holds the attention of the part of my brain that would otherwise engage in incessant mental chatter.

[@波得天]

Im so glad you covered this topic. I just started adhd meds this week, but for years I have been using white, pink, and lately brown noise to focus. It also seems to help me self-regulate after sensory overload. Yesterday I was raging and upset while driving, but blasting brown noise calmed me down. Also, my partner had me listen to your KZbin channel before bed many times over a period of years. You are why I am getting treated and I have so much gratitude for your work.

[@ColinTimmins]

I just started my ADHD medication about 4 weeks ago. I’m 45 and don’t normally advocate for myself, but I did. I couldn’t convince my GP so I had to plea my case to another Dr that I see once and a while. I have noticed a good change in my ability to concentrate and get things done. I started to panic about how much my executive functions have deteriorated, especially the last decade. I hope you find improvements as well. Take care of yourself. =]

[@daniellec2172]

How does the noise itself not give you sensory overload? I can't stand the sound of white noise or pink noise, it makes me feel so antsy.

[@DR_1_1]

@@daniellec2172 I agree with your "sensory load", but find it very relaxing, it feels like a waterfall! not sure it would help me to work, though, more like meditating or something like that? And I prefer the real noise, although I have been recording some, and it's not easy to get the real sound of water. Depending on the size the frequencies can vary a lot, too. I have tools/machines working in the street right now, and THAT is stressing! Going to close the window right now.

[@Princess_Peach_84]

I just had this conversation with someone the other day. I need music to function and focus. I explained it as one part of my brain needed to go play and goof off somewhere so the other part could focus.

[@FriendofWigner]

I've noticed this as well, but there are specific types of music for specific tasks. If I am doing some repetitive work that requires little thought, I need something interesting and complex, usually with lyrics, to focus on while my body goes through the motions. For tasks with a higher cognitive load (such as coding or writing), something more repetitive, preferably without lyrics, occupies the portion of my brain that is always trying to distract me from the task at hand. Getting the wrong music messes me up too; lyrics will distract me as I try to be creative or solve problems, and repetitive music while doing simple tasks will let my mind wander to all those horrible places I don't want it to go.

[@DR_1_1]

I'm curious, in both cases, how does your average background environment sounds, silent, home/family, street/trafic, or other?

[@thomaslenhard3088]

music also helped me to focus... but only when it's without singing... the moment someone starts singing (in a language i understand) i get distracted and my mind tries to follow the text.

[@MandiSmash]

This is wild. I just listened to a pink noise video to see what it sounds like and to me it matches night time driving -- I can drive indefinitely at night with no issues, no focus problems, I love it so much for the clarity of mind. I can't do it much anymore but I yearn for family vacations so I can be the one to "power through" just for those hours of focus and peace, and I listen to night driving videos when I am stressed out. I had no idea this was a thing for ADHD folks. What a huge insight! Thank you for this video!

[@Handle8844]

Hey, Dr. B. Thank you for keeping all these videos "bite-sized." The information you impart is important and useful, but if they were 40 minutes in length, I'm not sure I could give them my full attention. And today was one of those days when even 8 minutes of attention was more than I could muster, but your useful introduction-written-timeline-breakdown-thingy helped me skip straight to 4:46 to hear main points. I appreciate that you speak to us respectfully while keep our limitations in mind.

[@go-farm]

I use brown noise at work to block out other office sounds, including the silence of the room when people are working quietly, because it even drowns out my tinnitus and I definitely find it helps. I had tried having a radio on in the background on low, but I found myself being distracted by what was playing, whereas brown noise doesn't really have anything in it to pique my attention. I can't have any of the other noise sounds because they make my tinnitus worse, particularly the higher frequency ones like white or pink noise. That's the brown noise one I use!

[@FaeEvergreen]

I have AuDHD and use brown noise to focus and fall asleep. I can't deal with the higher frequency noises, they aggravate me and put me on edge. I don't like having music or taking on when I'm trying to concentrate because I find it distracting. I find the brown noise is just perfect for eliminating the silence and ambient noises in the environment, and is low enough to almost disappear while I'm concentrating. There are also channels on Spotify that have 12-hour noise machines that combine various frequencies with other sounds like rain, ocean waves, Tibetan bowls, etc that I really enjoy.

[@vyrsh0]

whats the u?

[@EchoObserver9]

Could you please share the names of the spotify channels.

[@jorgenhassler6642]

I think anyone doing studies on this topic should let participants choose the form of noise. I have a fairly severe combined type ADHD. I HATE white noise and I HATE pink noise, the are physically painful. Brown noise on the other hand is a complete blessing.

[@simonpuchner2389]

Hey Dr. Barkley! Thank you for doing all of this. In the name of thousands of others who usually don't like to comment under videos on youtube: Thank you.

[@ysg929]

+1

[@nowie4007]

+2

[@Handle8844]

+3

[@adamcboyd]

When I went became disabled at 30 and went back to college for a new degree that wasn't law and on my own terms, I would constantly do my homework and heavy creative stuff at bars in the evening. I always would just explain to friends that I can concentrate better because it all just blends together but in the background as opposed to everything always being in the foreground and right in my face. I also couldn't make out or retain most conversations around me as opposed to normal where I am already running down all possible solutions to every conversations I overheard. Didn't know I had ADD my whole life until I was 40. It that went misdiagnosed as a dozen other things with attempts to treat over the years. Even epilepsy medications. I appreciate your research and cold scientific approach to the science yet your warm and patient approach to the people.

[@ThirteenKidsLater]

As a person with ADHD I can say that background stimulation is significantly helpful for me. Essentially, there is so much potential stimulation in some situations such as driving that it can be hard to sort and pay attention to the correct ones. When there’s music or a podcast or something similar that I can passively listen to- NOT have to think and respond to such as a conversation- then that takes up enough brain power that the remaining brain power can much more easily attend to what is important without being distracted by extraneous information. Same for cleaning the house, doing schoolwork, planning and organizing, cooking meals etc. anything requiring sustained attention and executive functioning. Also, the grey and brown noises you played were soothing to me while I found the white and pink to be irritating.

[@NummyScrum]

Wow thats definitely why i live with a headphone on and watch 70+ podcasts all day

[@LeahBTravelin91]

I cant sleep without a fan. I also can focus off things better. Ive also found a weighted blanket helps ground me and that helps me focus too

[@feelingofchildren]

Brown noise works best for me

[@SmartADHD]

Same here. I find white noise and especially pink noise too harsh, Brown noise is almost soothing and blocks out distractions.

[@michelebence4308]

Brown is soothing for me too. I find white to be intrusive, somehow

[@LeahBTravelin91]

Pink for me. But I also deal with tinnitus so pink is very close to that which helps and I “cant hear” The ringing because the tones are similar

[@SmartADHD]

@@LeahBTravelin91 that's really interesting. Pink is too harsh for me, and I was wondering why anyone would want to listen to pink. But it totally makes sense if you have tinnitus.

[@shawnrisley2404]

Thanks for your scholarship. Appreciate ideas re ADHD functioning in real life.

[@Mr.Hydradude]

As a mom with 2 adhd kids, I am SO Thankful for this channel. Please never stop putting out content 🙏

[@stefanbraunbar442]

As a Software Tester, i like hearing background music. Without, i loose focus very fast. Its like a 2nd layer, which is nice. In the foreground, i can do the work, which otherwise would be boring .

[@cjplay2]

Thank you for this. I do have a form of "visual noise". I work in Media IT and I need to keep my security session up. So I use a task viewer on constant loop and it is always moving on some level. Once per 5 seconds update. And I have to tune that out. So it helps me to concentrate more (I'm 48, diagnosed at 7).

[@Kinari_91]

I am AuDHD. The White and Pink set my nerves on fire. I found the Brown and Grey more tolerable, but I don't know if it would help me focus better since some repetitive noises drive me absolutely nuts. The sound of Static is completely intolerable. Bassy, heavy beat music without lyrics or in a foreign language (since I can't focus on the words) usually works for me.

[@djorankeil]

Apple's Background Sounds work really well for me. Rain, Ocean and Stream are best, depending on mood. Sometimes it doesn't work at all but mostly it's just... almost like a tickle in my mind that calms me and helps me focus. There's also an artist who goes out to forests and records an array of natural sounds and then mixes them together as white noise. I wish I could find their name. I'm positive it was in a New Scientist podcast but can't find the reference.

[@blastypowpow]

I didn’t even realize that my phone had these settings. Glad I found your post. What volume do you use if you’re listening to other media? I don’t know if it should be loud or soft.

[@siddharthdash8946]

​@@blastypowpowwhat seems to work for you? If I may ask

[@piotrgraniszewski8544]

Probably the same can be said about physical fidgeting. Big thanks, Russ!

[@sandym4317]

I have been recently diagnosed with ADHD Adult. I've been sleeping with background ocean waves, light rain on a tin roof or thunderstorm app for years because it helps me sleep. This video explains why it helps me Thank you. I'm looking forward to learning more about this illness. I'm 64 yrs old. I'll say what a difference this diagnosis would have made to my life, if I'd known about it years ago. Our mental health system is broken in my opinion because it's too expensive for a working citizen to afford diagnosis or treatment. Thank you for these videos. God bless

[@suestreet9934]

These research videos are gold. Few of us have access to the latest papers. But to have them summarised by you is wonderful. Thank you

[@alek2341]

When on medication I don't often listen to music or noise when doing something because it is a hinderance, while without medication it's the only way I can get into flow and do my work.

[@SkodaUFOInternational]

Short & to the point. Thank you.

[@ArT-b9n]

To continue if I may. I then went in to have some unusual occurrences with my behaviours from 0-10 firstly. I always felt very different to other people. That’s been the way I have felt all my life. I’m reaching out to you as I have my appointment tomorrow morning and I am so nervous. Overwhelmed to ensure I get the correct information in for my diagnosis. From 10+ my life has been a cascade of such negativity. Not all my doing. Where I have been able to heal I have taken that responsibility. When I was researching the my symptoms of I believe adhd. I saw your seminars on you tube. I said to myself I need to research properly to understand from a young age did I have any particular signposts that I was unaware of. I listened to your seminars and it was like it was a confirmation of that which I know in my case is adhd. Thankyou for the information because it is a very lonely path having these symptoms especially after my gp said my fibromyalgia is out of their scope to treat. Which I get but that’s making me nervous too about making sure I get a diagnosis. What then you know.

[@sv863530]

Long before I had my diagnosis, I found cafes a great place to study, especially early afternoon. But then they banned smoking indoors and I never found a good replacement for that. Lately I discovered that driving without the radio on calmes me down pretty good. I will definitely check the sounds out. Thanks for the great tip

[@llareia]

The first time I realized there was something different about my attention was when I was in college and my friends were baffled that I study with music or TV on. It's SO much easier to concentrate that way (though it needs to be something I've heard/seen before).

[@aycaerturk5623]

Thank you so much. You have helped me understand my ADHD so much better. Genuinely appreciate what you do and the time you take to explain everything.

[@1997Jeep]

Thanks for sharing. I work best with pink noise myself. (The higher pitch helps to drowned out human voices best for me) I'm a Dyslexic AuDHD & the idea of running a background noise was introduced to me when I worked at a call center in college (1997). They had a white noise generator for every room. If I have to do anything like creating this comment right now, I work best with a consent noise flooding everything else out. Otherwise I get distracted and the process becomes much more difficult.

[@UltimateWobbleBoss]

Hi Russel, I just wanted to let you know that the first video with white noise wasn’t real white noise (I work in audio electronics). The upper part, as you call it, had been filtered out, and should have been louder than that in the pink noise video. I don’t think there are many videos on KZbin with honest coloured noise playback, but the reason is actually copyright trolls!

[@disneybunny45]

Brown noise is my go-to audio when I'm sleeping somewhere without a fan (or a really quiet one). My tinnitus drives me crazy without it.

[@markdawson425]

J dilla extended loops is magical for me

[@vebjrnandresen6988]

There are also playlists on Spotify. I use it in the office mainly to block out distractions, but I also find it helps me with focus in general.

[@bobbyv3]

The brown and green noises work best for me, I've found. Binureal at 33-41 Hz for 7-10 minutes also helps. For me, anyway. I enjoy your work and insights, Dr. Barkley, and I appreciate that you've made both available!

[@Dangeross369]

Used different colour noises for many years, also a fan running 24/7 never thought of it as a type of self medication 😂

[@pedroewert143]

One reason that the boost is minimal yet many say they swear by it may be found in taskcompletion vs non completion and intend vs non intend. Intend, we know that adhd often depends on us wanting and deciding to do a thing, so in a laboratory setting, maybe there no real intention there. Yet in real life i would say taking time to say "i do xy with white noise" is already after we have intend to do a thing. With task completion vs non completion i say the white noise may not make us smarter but helps to create a nice environment where we finish and attend to a task. Often thats many times better than not finishing a task while having a few seconds of bright thoughts

[@classicdrew]

Although counter-intuitive, it’s so true that background stimulation helps. I listened to hours of debates while working at my IT job and it helped me (unfortunately not enough). On medication, I definitely prefer silence, a little music or nature sounds, just at a high enough volume to suppress street sounds.

[@3llzebub]

My campus had one testing center with a fan that sounded like brown noise and it helped so much.

[@susanooalarichard]

Important to keep in mind individual variability as always. That said, I have ADHD and a cognitive disorder at play, and I can't personally stand those sounds. They far too often sound like music amplifiers with a grounding problem or like the old tube style TVs when a channel goes off the air. Background in electronics engineering as well. So, the sounds to me signal something is wrong and I find it very distracting. White noise and pink noise in particular give me headaches. Same time, this isn't really an issue with the noise, so much as noise in isolation. I don't mind these kinds of noises being in actual music tracks, nor in long form backtracks intended to be ignored. Granted, something that might matter here is that the noise is also drowning out the sound of other sounds. So, it might not be that the noise is improving focus so much as removing distractions as those other sounds aren't heard. Often, I have background noise to put it another way, however, that background noise is the sound of an aquarium, fan, music or something else to remove the sounds of vehicles outside, the squirrels running across my roof and so on. In other words, I'd like to see research related to this in the context of predictable noise, versus unpredictable noise. Jazz music is kind of chaotic in nature, but follows predictable rules. I can tune that out whilst focused on something else. I can't on the other hand tune out someone outside my house yelling at their kids. Not saying anyone is yelling outside my house to be clear. Saying they don't. That if they were it would distract me. At the moment, I'm getting slightly distracted by the birds outside of my window, but every morning this time of year that's normal. If it were negative temperature numbers outside and I heard those same birds it would be very distracting as it's simply not normal to be hearing much of any animal life outside other than dogs here. Anyway, glad you're doing this.

[@TheNewton]

Curious about that too, cover-up noise, or functional noise, vs mathematical static noise.

[@jill829]

I find listening to these videos, ie a topic of great interest, combined with doing a perfunctory task go well together. It seems like the automatic task is undertaken easier and better by my brain being engaged in the listening and I listen better because I'm undertaking a mundane task, maybe its just the movement that helps. So right now im listening and sorting laundry and doing very well at both.

[@katv7525]

I've been looking for information on this exact topic recently!! As someone with ADHD and studying.

[@nicoleholleran4766]

Never really used white noise and such, but I discovered Zoe Keating's music in college and cannot tell you how many times I listened to her album One Cello to help me focus. For some reason, it just worked so much better than any other sound. Beyond that, I can never sit in one place to study/work for more than 1 to 3 hours before going crazy and having to walk or drive to an entirely new location. Cafés, restaurants, bars, libraries, parks, etc.

[@shaped-by-design]

Amazing as always Russell, thank you! There are some great white, pink and brown noise playlists on Spotify. I find them helpful for sleep.

[@sydliz10]

I've really been enjoying brown noise lately while I'm doing homework (or trying to)

[@madkatmelloy299]

I like to occupy a few senses when I'm in a Teams meeting or an online class. I'll have a diffuser with scents of the forest while playing a KZbin video of a rainforest complete with bird, rain and or water sounds. This tends to drown out distractive sounds like my neighbours or traffic and works to quieten my mind.

[@Kruglord]

I used Pink noise to help me focus and write my Master's thesis before I was diagnosed with ADHD, how interesting. I tend to find Pink noise sounds most like a waterfall

[@jsonbourne9799]

I tried different "colours" and found that "red" and "orange" noises helped most (though still marginal) with focus. I am clinically AuDHD and nothing works quite as well as medication for me, though I think meditation (easier with MP!) and exercise amplify the effect.

[@sebben13]

I'm certainly addicted to having "noise" on my headphones while I work. I mostly listen to asmr or ambience from cities/workplaces. I use white/brown noise sometimes, but I often feel they are to subtle 😅

[@chrisakins692]

Very interesting. Thank you Dr. Barkley. I really appreciate the regular research reviews.

[@Photomonon]

Awesome! This really works. Thank you for sharing. Helps immensely

[@SmartADHD]

Thanks, Dr Barkley. Really interesting study. I do think the study misses a big advantage in listening to noise - eradicating distractions. I'm not sure how much listening to noise helps me focus in of itself, but noise (brown noise especially, for me) drowns out distracting noises around me. For example, I find working in a coffee shop helps me focus with the people around me (kind of like an accountability). BUT those noises really distract me. When I pop on some noise-cancelling headphones and listen to brown noise, I am in the zone! I personally find listening to music very distracting (I end up listening to and analysing the music), but certain genres can help me focus, and I find tools like Brain FM, which play "focus" music. Of course, we're all different. Thanks!

[@Tekay37]

I've found the noise (and certain types of music) drowns distracting thoughts as well.

[@kissa3168]

Do you normally spend a lot of time around other people? I ask because, in my case, I am by myself a lot and that feeling of isolation can trigger anxiety and affect my ability to focus; being around others in laid-back environments provides me with a sense of safety and calm.

[@SmartADHD]

@@kissa3168 no, I don't. I work from home most of the time. I'm also an introvert, so I have to balance the amount of time I spend with people. But, since I'm on my own a lot during the day, I definitely get cabin fever and I need to get outside the house and find myself working in coffee shops 2-3 times each week What you said was really interesting. I thought I worked in coffee shops to get a kind of accountability from other people. But maybe it's also kind of helping me focus too. Great that you've found a way which helps you.

[@ArT-b9n]

Dear Dr Russell. After being diagnosed by the gp with fibromyalgia in 2023. I now have realised I have symptoms of adhd. I have a psychotherapist assessment tomorrow morning,then the psychotherapist is deciding if I should be referred from there to the psychiatrist. I got tests last year through the gp to eliminate other illness possibilities,which then resulted in the fibromyalgia diagnosis,and other female health issues,hormonal. I got to grips with that by January if this year. Through my researching about fibromyalgia,I saw research that fibromyalgia and adhd can be Co existing. In my case I had a very complicated birth:I was born premature at 24 weeks.I was breach. The umbilical chord was around my neck from early in the pregnancy,limiting the oxygen intake along with a number of other affects the complications ihad on my health pre birth. Post birth,I was born with seriously under developed lungs,along with weakness in my other vital organs.my feeding muscle was too weak to feed. I was placed in an incubator straight after birth,a tube to feed went into my stomach. I wasn’t expected to live,the doctors had told my mother to prepare for the worst. From there I had a lot of nosebleeds earaches. I wasn’t diagnosed as deaf. I had many visits to the hospital for the nosebleeds and earaches as they were so intense my pillows would be covered with blood at night. My earaches unbearable.

[@ferntree9814]

Brown pink white noise works. It’s been saving my life for years.

[@ferntree9814]

Also never knew I had ADHD for years until working with kids who have autism/adhd/odd boy did I relate to them. The type of noise depends on my irritability with others around me. I’ve been blasting these noises for years in my headphones and just never thought anything of it. Thought it was normal. I love noise cancelling. I don’t like lo fi though the random beats in there and Bells distract me

[@NinaGothMambaNegra]

I used to listen a lot of instumental post rock to study. Now I understand why :)

[@D-V-O-R-A-K]

As far as I can tell, as someone who dabbles in digital sound design, the first white noise example is not pure white noise, its upper frequencies have reduced amplitude, which is actually typical in pink noise, whereas the pink noise sample in this video sounds more like white noise.

[@ripple_on_the_ocean]

Thanks for as usual, quality content!

[@steffislanguages]

What I do.... When tasks are uninteresting for me but it is something I have to do (like filing my tax return) or if it is something that I like doing but it doesn't require much thinking (like drawing); I do the following. I listen to audio books. BUT it MUST be something I know perfectly, can't be something new. I find that this gives my unattentive brain which likes to change topics and wander around something to wander to and pay attention to. Since I repeatedly listen to the same books (Harry Potter 😁) nothing to exciting, surprising oder fancy is happening and it doesn't cost my brain too much energy and effort to imagine the story and create my inner movie. Anyhow, I like the story which focusses my brain on it and stops it from going elsewhere. Alltogether it gives it a destination for its "overcapacity" and the little rest of its capacity starts doing the boring/uninteresting/to easy/unwanted task. After a while I get into flow and stop listening to the story actively while it is still playing in the background and just do the task. That works great. Try it! You should love the story otherwise it is equally boring as the task in question is and nothing new here please because then it is too exciting to play in the background while working. Our brains love new things a lot and if the audio book is new it draws all the attantion to it instead of just the exceeding capacity. At least for me it always feels like my brain has the capacity to do and think a lot more than required for these kind of tasks and needs a usage for this so that I give it an audio book.

[@TheLibraryCop3000]

Hi Dr.Barkley, I was diagnosed with ADHD an few years ago. Sometimes the meds seem to make my executive function even worse and last month I was diagnosed with Autism( Asperger’s). I struggled throughout my childhood in the late 80’s and 90’s with frustrated teachers because I had issues focusing, rejected by my peers, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Would you please be able to do a video about ADHD mixed with ASD?

[@cungyman]

Dr. Barkley, what kind of noise would you consider yourself to be? Sometimes I listen to your videos in the background while I'm working. Maybe "Barkley" noise is its own classification? I think calling it Russelling" would be too on the nose. :)

[@jonr6680]

Not a joke, DrB videos have the most tonally & intellectually compelling voice/ accent, and now with a new mic! But far too interesting! Would need some true ASMR artists to down-regulate stress etc by virtue of their (intentionally) meaningless content. ASMR is a lifesaver.

[@annabackman3028]

I definitely have ADHD, and ESPECIALLY the white noise stresses me out, I just want to get away from it, if so be it, I destroy the thing that makes it. The rain on the roof sounds, don't bother, but the chance that it would help me to FOCUS is less than minimal. The last sound, to me it was like a busy motorway in the distance. Which is a sound that can cause high blood pressure and other stress related health issues. I moved 4 hours by car away, to get away from that. EARPLUGS. Good quality earplugs. That's my thing. SILENCE. IF it's not about to get something physically done, cleaning the house etc. That takes positive, fast, rhythmic, preferably repetitive music. People think I'm a completely crazy person when I play the 'collab mix" of the Finnish folkmusik 'Ievan Polkka' with the Turkish hand drummer Bilal Göregen and the South African musician 'The Kiffnes', that went viral during the covid 'lockdown', among other collaborations of TikTok stuff that also went viral on YT. It's difficult to NOT move to it, and being so repetitive it 'kidnaps' my brain. Turns me into a robot like state. Someone else seems to have the same problem as me, and made a three hour loop. I'm forever grateful 😅.

[@megzin00]

Brown noise assists greatly in calming my anxiety. There are yt vids of each frequency...the star trek next generation ship ambience quiets my mind and finally provides me an opportunity to fall asleep and stay asleep even when my anxiety has peaked (AuDHD here)

[@obelixpfeifenreiniger2863]

Auadhd as well, same expirrence, also spaceship noise. This Sound combined with elvanse lets me sleep like a baby, best sleep ever, i am so in tune with myself its unreal. I had that rarely in my life.

[@MissAynneK]

I also love a really good brown noise to fall asleep to and to work I like an instrumental lo-fi playlist or South African house -- upbeat, good bass, repetitive sounds. Or if I find a new favourite song, I'll just put it on repeat 6484517 times 😆

[@jaeshasway]

I definitely like pink during the day and white or brown for sleep. Can you talk about use of binaural beats and solfeggio for people with ADHD?

[@bopuc]

The "colored noises" do help to block out environmental sound-based distractions (especially combined with noise-canceling headphones), but it gets a bit boring. Other things that work similarly are certain types of music (without language that you understand, as language can spin up the whole semantic cognition apparatus) and stuff like "nature sounds." Electronic music, classical, chanting… lots of that stuff available now in 1-2-3 hr youtube videos. I don't think they affect ADHD directly, but they certainly do help block distraction. I can't get work done without it. Whether there's any science behind different frequencies affecting the brain etc etc is almost a moot point maybe?

[@Queenread82]

I often listen to ocean waves when I have trouble sleeping or need calming. I found some binaural beats mixed with waves that helps, as well as bilateral sleep sounds. For attention though I haven’t tried anything other than quiet ambient (no radio, just distant town sound). I’ll try the pink. Thank you I came for the dad joke though, guess I have to find one myself.

[@florenciadraksler2011]

Thank you so much Dr. Barkley... Can you talk about adhd and sensorial integration?

[@obelixpfeifenreiniger2863]

I dont know about you, but I sleep with brown spaceship noise on wireless headphones. It drowns out the usual neighbour noises, but more important: it reduces fretting thoughtspirals, because what hapoens us that xour brain starts to find patterns and rythms in the noise, and this soothes you till you are asleep. I used to sleep with letsplays, but the spaceship noise us much better, i usually mix it with rain on sheet metal roof.

[@gabriellawaldi]

Thank you Dr. Barkley!!!

[@autumngryffinnheart6374]

If you are easily distracted by a sudden unexpected sound, then listening to something that stops you hearing other noises will prevent your concentration from being broken. Essential if you find it difficult to return to a task after you have been interrupted. I don't think it matters what the sound is, as long as it blocks out any distraction.

[@robvantour9757]

You should do one on 8D and 9D music. It feels like a brain massage, very relaxing.

[@Tekay37]

Nice. Glad to know that the studies confirm my impression of the effect it has for me. However, after I found the "Mind Amend" guy I started listening to his "adhd intense relief" tracks where he uses "isochronic tones" and for "brainwave entrainment". First I thought that's esoteric, but when I listened to it the first time I did actually feel a deep relief going through my body (my musches especially) as if it loosend some tension that had always been there but that didn't notice. Has there been any studies using "isochronic tonest and "brainwave entrainment"?

[@jurinato]

I am curious if there are any studies related to Binaural Beats or "8K music" and neurodivergent brains, where the music is panning left-right and (for me ) resulting in this sensation that the sound is "flossing" my brain, or creating a moving circle of sound that moves through my brain.

[@patrickkelly737]

Not scientifically back but my own experience, I have a dozen ambient playlists of different kinds; rain sounds, ethereal space sounds, etc. Some of them help me sleep and focus and some are less effective.

[@Maryam-111]

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜💜🪬♾️

[@Yosetime]

All of those noises were awful to me. I do have ADHD but also am very sensitive to noise. That pink noise nearly gave me an anxiety attack! The high pitches. The sensation of a rain storm. A storm. I don't want fear to wake my brain up. No thanks!! So I'm glad that the studies did not show really significant results. I thought I would like the brown noise since it was a lower pitch. But it sounded like when I am flying in a jet. Which I am also afraid of. So, I guess all of that noise it out for me. Surprisingly, when I worked in the office I was surrounded by people and noises. If I wanted to get anything done I would tune them out. Go into something like tunnel vision. My coworkers would say that when I did that they couldn't get my attention if the building was on fire! And I got a great deal of work done while doing it too. So I guess my background noise is just the regular office noises. I didn't know I had ADHD back then. But I did know that I have always been hypersensitive. All sound, touch, taste, light and colors etc. Even air pressure when I am driving hurts my ears. I have to balance the air pressure in the car in some way in order to be comfortable and not feel like my ear drums are going to burst. Anyway, thanks for another great report!

[@desibellon3907]

My thoughts from an adhd perspective. Love brown & grey. White is good. Pink makes me cringe & want to break my phone. It's sooooo annoying! I do like to sleep with some kind of background noice, but the high pitched sounds terrible. The lower smoother sounds are relaxing and drown out the self talk.

[@greadion4]

Great video. Thanks :)

[@WhenIWasAKitten]

I wonder how the study prescribed the noise to see this difference in neurotypicals to those with ADHD. Low level white noise is often used in offices and courts to help mask background noise. I am highly distractable by noise.

[@amberm.2361]

Funny, the *FIRST* thing I do upon arrival at work is either turn on my small fan at my desk, or turn on my mini hepa filter (depending on which place I'm working that day). Silence when focusing has always made me my skin crawl ...adding in music really helps me also. No one thinks music is crazy, but using a small fan for white noise in the winter can get you some odd looks from coworkers...lol. pink noise, however, I really can't stand it!! Brown noise is disconcerting to me- am I the only ADHD Adult here that likes steady, soft white noise?

[@Museofmemory]

White noise kinda works for me, but deep brown noise is far better, especially for sleep. The BEST noise though, for sleep or study, is the sound of human voices calmly talking. Just inoffensive chatter. I always put on a podcast or an audio book or a youtube video at night. Nothing too interesting that will hold my focus, but the kind of boring but occasionally mildly interesting drone that would make me tune out in class. Works like a charm. I'm actually surprised more researchers haven't investigated the utility of this, given it's one of the primary symptoms of ADHD.

[@1997Jeep]

I like podcasts or something with a dialog that I can follow, when driving at night, because I recognize when my brain shutting down. However driving is a long boring process. If I am trying to focus on my own thoughts nothing is worse than ambient conversation.

[@linogrubben]

Dear Dr. Barkley, thanks for all your great content! I have a question. You seem to avoid using the term neurotypical and say (more) typical instead, I noticed this in several of your videos. You probably have a reason for that. Would you mind sharing it with us? I know the term neurotypical was originally used to describe people who don't have autism. Thank you!

[@TheNewton]

This seems to focus on "static" noise of a frequency type and not the content of the noise itself. So I wonder if there's anything out there that compares mathematical noise to functional noise. By functional I mean real sounds like nature, or other background like kitchen noises, garages, engines, or emulates an experience like "space", etc.

[@CapnSnackbeard]

Music is better than drugs to keep me moving.

[@DeezNuts9813]

Why not both?

[@CapnSnackbeard]

​@@DeezNuts9813who said I wasn't using both? Drugs are better than sleep, but I still sleep, too 😉

[@CapnSnackbeard]

I find it interesting how reliant science is on isolating factors in ways that they are almost never focused in the natural environment, and then it seems they sort of forget where the factors came from in the first place. Humans have been using music and rhythm for focus, and coordination hundreds of thousand of years. When were they ever sitting listening to brown noise? Not that it might not yield some insight, but why not flip on the radio while we wait? Seems like since almost nobody want to sit and listen to droning noises, we could maybe skip ot entirely. 😆

[@kittyhunter3595]

Audiobooks and podcast work for me

[@publius9350]

Sex, drugs, and rock & roll - can they help with executive function? Studies say yes!

[@Deviliza]

Could you do a video about combination therapy for kids? Stimulants & non Stimulants? I was just told by the only possible psychiatrist managing my sons medication that she thought my idea about combining medication was from "a lay man in Facebook" and that she would never sign on to do that - and I had to think about my son making it to 50 years old one day. But he is hugely challenged by this, and I'm really afraid of the scars he will likely carry with him from this being managed so poorly.

[@jazy3091]

This is very helpful. Thank you for that. Could you also look into so called binaural beats that became very popular recently please? I have a feeling these help me a lot, but I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect or is there a scientific study confirming these?

[@jonr6680]

I heard that parents of autistic kids give them earplugs or headsets to suppress outside noise... Maybe in a chaotic household or classroom too. Can relate!

[@TheNewton]

So what level of volume this using? Room speakers, headphones etc? Does this note tinnitus among participants? Did any of these survey if people grew up in noisy or quiet environments or homes?

[@zak-a-roo264]

If I want to boost my whole body mood/metabolism, I listen to "Boiler Room" or similar style DJ music. It snaps me out of a low energy place super fast!

[@1izbravo]

Have there been any studies looking at alpha and delta wave frequencies as aids for coping with ADHD?

[@morryswigs2005]

I find it hard to clean my home without music in the background.

[@SerialSpice]

If you have iPhone there is a feature to enable background sound. Easier than running youtube

[@lkm2287]

Brown noise sometimes works for me, but the other ones make me really uncomfortable. I prefer very specific Asmr audios or forest sounds.

[@MultiGames4You]

I recommend a youtube channel called Dub Element. They upload dub techno and deep techno and those sets really help me focus.

[@baka_baca]

Music feels like it helps me in many situations, but only if it's instrumental and fairly stimulating. Really ambient low energy instrumental music just doesn't do it for me. Lyrical music can drastically make it harder for me to focus; enough that I often can't hold a meaningful conversation.

[@jeanmalcolm-mcdonald4069]

Interesting. I've been using background noise to help me concentrate on boring or repetitive tasks for decades, long before I knew I had adhd. I listen to music or interviews that I have heard many times before. Something new is distracting, but something familiar is calming. As an aside, there is no way those sounds you played would work for me. The brown noise was ok, but I don't think it would help, and the others were like fingernails on a chalkboard.

[@yxtsama]

Not sure if I have ADHD or not but brown noise really seem to help with quitting down the mind for me

[@ken329-r6e]

I use pink noise for sleeping. It works great.

[@ecm9134]

White noise helps me calm down, I use it to sleep or to relax.