White Noise Music

White noise music can be used for many reasons. Essentially, white noise is used to mask noise for privacy or to help someone calm down or sleep. White noise comes in a variety of sounds. Most often, the sounds are nature-related. Some of these noises include ocean waves, music, and rain and they are mixed with white noise. White noise is a particular signal with a flat density. It is a special kind of noise because it includes every frequency that a human ear can recognize (N. Mammarella, B. Fairfield, and C. Cornoldi)

Sometimes, white noise is used in conjunction with classical music. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Mozart’s music could have positive effects on cognition in humans. A study  involving monkeys showed that their delayed responses was enhanced after being exposed to Mozart’s music for at least 15 minutes because it helped them focus and not get distracted by outside noises.

White noise can be used as part of therapy, meditation, or education. Some parents use white noise to help boost their children’s cognitive abilities as it is believed that white noise can also boost intelligence and attentiveness in children. Laurel Harmon, Kristen Troester, Taryn Pickwick, and Giovanna Pelosi in “The Effects of Different Types of Music on Cognitive Abilities” argue, however, that there is no sufficient differences in cognition between those who list to classical music, rock music, or work in silence. So, the effects of white noise in relation to cognition are still in debate. 

Meanwhile, in “Does Music Enhance Cognitive Performance in Healthy Older Adults? The Vivaldi Effect” by Nicola Mammarella, Beth Fairfield, and Cesare Cornoldi, the authors mention that in that studies conducted in the 1970’s “showed the beneficial effect of white noise on short-term memory.” Their findings were in line with these hypotheses in the 1970’s. They also found that this frequency has an effect on moods and arousal. They write, “The arousal-and-mood hypothesis claims that music enhances the level of arousal, and consequently attentional processes benefit, and/or that it promotes positive mood.” However, they warn that these effects depend greatly on the music itself. They write, “rather, it is important that the melodic form of the piece should help participants focus on the surface characteristics of the task and provide a corresponding series of cues in remembering.” Therefore, the music must be calming enough to assist in remembering and functioning in testing or in general.

Finally, in “The Effects of Background White Noise on Memory Performance in Inattentive School Children,” by Göran BW Söderlund, Sverker Sikström, Jan M Loftesnes, and Edmund J Sonuga-Barke, they find that, “Exposure to background noise improved performance for inattentive children and worsened performance for attentive children and eliminated episodic memory differences between attentive and inattentive school children”

This service is available online, on CD recordings, and on applications for iPods, iPhones, and other phones as well.

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