I am a fanboy. Both of my boys are fanboys as well. You could call us a fanfamily. Except for my wife, she's not a fangirl and is more of a fan hater. To be clear, we're not just fly-by-night fair-weather fans. WE ARE ALL IN and have been for years. We are charter members of the fan club. Or, as I like to call myself, a "FAN-O-NEERS."
Even Riley, our Golden Retriever, is a fan. But, fan of what?
FANS, of course!
I am not talking about a band, tv show, or movie, although we have our favorites. I am talking about a true fan. You know, the thing that oscillates and moves air. A fan!
I have been working, watching, and sleeping with a fan since childhood. Ceiling fan, personal fan, desktop fan? YES! I love them all. As I mentioned, my wife does not share my passion for all things fan-related. Shortly after we were married, I overheard my wife telling a friend that it was like living in a perpetual windstorm.
I told her it was like living in a hurricane, a hurricane of AWESOMENESS.
I need my fan.
It's not the cool breeze I crave, although I like it. Nor is it the ability to snuggle under a blanket, even on summer nights in Arizona. It's the NOISE. I NEED the noise. It distracts me and helps me to relax and shut my brain down. Something with which I struggle.
What's ironic is that I can't sleep any other noise, and I am easily distracted by sounds. The TV, radio, leaf blowers, and car horns are all sounds that make my mind race and keep me awake. But not the fan. I don't just tolerate the fan; I require it to sleep.
It turns out that the fan is not just for sleep anymore.
I recently stumbled upon a New York Times article about Brown noise. What is Brown noise? The article described it as "something akin to wind, heavy rain, or the steady hum of an airline jet. It sounds like water rushing somewhere in the distance, like a gentle fan ruffling cool air currents. It's soothing, steady, slightly rumbly."
You had me at gentle fan.
The article also stated that people exposed to Brown noise reported that it helped them "feel calm, and freed from an internal monologue that allowed them to relax, and focus for longer periods of time."
You had me at focus.
Brown noise's name comes from Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist, who discovered "Brownian motion" — the unexpected way pollen grains "dance" under a microscope.
So, I have been trying it. It's simple, I open a browser and choose any number of YouTubevideos with eight-hour-long audio tracks, set the computer volume low, and get to work. As a testament to its efficacy, there are dozens of "Brown Noise" playlists on both Spotify and Apple iTunes.
There are other noises besides Brown, such as white (louder and lower), and pink (more fizzle, more frequencies), but Brown (all frequencies, less high, lower) is my jam.
Maybe I like Brown noise because it's the closest noise to music (Pyramid of Sound). It may be because I found it first. But, I do think it helps. I keep the tab open on my computer, hit play in the morning, and forget it's there while I work. I never really notice how loud I have it unless I am on a conference call and someone asks, "What's that noise?"
The idea of Brown noise is that it utilizes all frequencies, which overwhelms your brain, and forces it to shut down. I like to think of it as nature's noise-canceling headphones.
The idea that sound can alter your mood or cognitive function is not a new concept and should come as a surprise to no one. For hundreds of years, sounds have been associated with altered states of mind and mood. What's new? Our understanding of the impact that specific sounds/frequencies have on cognitive function and focus.
Does it work? I'm not sure, but I like the idea of a calmer and more focused Scott. So I keep using it.
You may not be a fan person. You may even find background noises annoying and distracting. But consider this:
Your job is chaotic, and you work in a world filled with sensory overload. You are professionally trained to dissect, analyze, and create sound. And, when you think about it, sounds are likely the source of your greatest frustrations and fondest memories every day. So, sound could be a way to detach from it as well.
Whether you want to dive in, or unwind, see what Brown can do for you! After all, you deserve the break! You can start with my personal favorite here.
Have a great week!
-Scott