Have You Tried The Viral Trend On TikTok Called ‘Pink Noise’?

I was looking for something that would make me want to use TikTok again.

After hearing about the recent ban in Montana, and rumors of additional bans across the world, I’ve been a bit leery of the app.

It doesn’t help that I have no interest in flipping mindlessly through viral dance videos or watching someone explain how to bake a cake.

Then I found a series of pink noise videos.

There are dozens of them, some that include so-called “brown noise” samples for comparison. Basically, the idea is to play random noise in lower frequencies, which can create a soothing effect for your brain and even help you sleep better. (For a quick refresher: White noise is all frequencies at once, such as an oscillating fan. Brown noise is lower frequencies with cascading energy — think a rolling surf. Pink noise is more subtle, with lower frequencies and less energy — more like a soft rain.)

I tried several pink noise videos on TikTok, and I have to say, I liked what I was hearing. For me, the videos had an instant calming effect and I even felt more intent on work while listening. It was actually easier to focus without tuning into the background noise.

As someone who has written about productivity, I found out that pink noise can help me work more effectively. “Listening to pink noise can help keep you focused on tasks and, ultimately, increase productivity levels,” says Adam Butler, who runs a company called Officeology. “Sometimes, work can be overwhelming, especially if you have multiple tasks to complete in the day, and this can lead to productivity levels dropping due to workers panicking over workload rather than being able to focus on getting the tasks complete.”

Butler says the pink noise is really meant to ward off distraction because the low-level frequencies are not as alluring as what you hear when you listen to music. You can focus because there isn’t anything interesting or attention-grabbing about pink noise.

“Getting into a routine in the afternoon of putting on your headphones and listening to pink noise means your brain can then begin to focus on the sounds, which can distract you from feeling demotivated, helping you power through to the end of the day,” he says. “This not only ensures tasks are completed, but it helps employees feel a sense of accomplishment knowing they have had a productive afternoon, which positively impacts wellbeing.”

I tried an experiment where I put some pink noise videos that are on a loop like this one and started writing, browsing the web, and checking email. I noticed that eventually I would tune out the pink noise, but could focus and concentrate a little better. I am used to listening to music all day, and depending on the artist, the music and lyrics can be distracting.

I am not sure it can work for everyone. When I played pink noise for a friend, he said it reminded him of the ocean or wind noise, but it didn’t really make him focus any differently.

Your mileage may vary, but it’s worth a shot to see if the pink noise videos make you focus a little more, tune out the background in an office setting, and get more work done.