People with anxiety urged to listen to this sound for 55 seconds
People with anxiety have been urged to listen to a 55 second video, which could help them to relax and focus.
You can try it for yourself here:
The 'brown noise brain break' is just the tonic for some, but doesn't quite do the trick for others.
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'Brown noise' may sound a bit disgusting (at least it does to me), but the actual sound has been found to be soothing to some anxiety sufferers.
Brown noise contains all frequencies, like white noise, but plays the low frequencies at a louder level and the high frequencies on a softer level.
Calm - a company that aims to assist with sleep, meditation and relaxation - served up some delicious brown noise on TikTok, and the video went viral, amassing three million views.
In the short vid, text layered over serene mountain landscapes reads: "If you have anxiety listen to this for 55 seconds and see what this does to your brain. Trust us. This is worth it.
"This sound is called 'brown noise', which is different in frequency from white noise and has been shown to help your brain tune out racing thoughts, enhance relaxation, boost focus and make falling asleep easier.
"Stay as long as you need."
In the comments, it was clear to see that the brown noise worked more effectively for some than others.
The brown noise lovers enjoyed its likeness to water.
"It sounds like a waterfall and I'm hooked," one person commented, with another added: "It sounds like a fast flowing river. Sounds lovely."
While a third wrote: "It sounds like it's raining outside and I love the sound of rain it makes me feel calm."
However, others felt it did more harm than good.
One person commented: "Why does the sound sound stressing to me?"
Another agreed: "Nope, this sound immediately started increasing my heart rate."
And another wrote: "My anxiety is stronger than your sound, thanks for trying."
Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
Daniel Berlau, a professor at the Regis University School of Pharmacy, in Colorado, said there is not robust research to suggest that brown noise alleviates stress, and the placebo effect could play an important role for some who find it soothing.
Speaking to the New York Times in September, he said: "Some people think anxiety might be quelled by having a noise blanket to filter out the sounds.
"It's not like everyone agrees this always works."
UOKM8? is a campaign by LADbible, featuring films and stories that provide advice and inspiration on mental health. Explore More Here and don't suffer in silence. Let's talk mental health.
MIND: 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans: 116 123.
CALM: Outside London 0808 802 5858, inside London 0800 58 58 58.
Topics: Mental Health
Jake Massey