Whilst in one of my many wanderings around the net. I came across a thesis regarding 'Noise improves cognitive performance in children with dysfunctional neurotransmission' see here for the pdf (http://www.diva-portal.org/su/abstract.xsql?dbid=7040).

Now, this is interesting. The author postulates that playing white noise actually improves concentration in ADHD children.

For me this isn't so - I can for a while, but then it seems I get overloaded, or else end up deriving patterns in the white noise, (computer white noise isn't random you know!). I also am distracted by conversations.... anything. Now this could be the fundamental differences between the 'open valve' and 'closed valve' of ADD and ADHD. Dunno. The study above was only conducted on hyperactive children.

Further, the classic DSM-IV for adults determines one of the symptoms as:

Often distracted by activity or noise (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADHD_predominantly_inattentive)


So what do you all think? There seems to be numerous studies on this fact, just google for 'ADHD noise', (along with a mix of rather dubious studies as well).

I can't stand noise while I'm trying to concentrate :)
I go crazy...I can't listen to music if I am driving in a busy area, but have it full blast while I am on the freeway :)
I can't stand the noise of the bathroom fan once I am out of the shower..

Silence is golden when I need to concentrate ....

We have white noise in my office and I find it distracting. I like music, but wordless stuff, jazz, classical, or bluegrass-y stuff without words.

I'm diagnosed ADD-inattentive, but the more that I see how people break down on this board, the more that I think I've got a fair amount of H in me. I'm very much an extrovert, not an introvert.

I'm "H" :) yet I am an introvert...

You can have both. Depends on your base character. For me I'm actually an extrovert, yet my inattentive forces me the other way.

So both of you are adults.... That's 3/3 who are distracted by noise.
So I wonder if distraction by noise is a developmental thing? Only in ADD adults?

It makes sense because the NTers probably tune noise out. I can tune some noises out, but it's work. In conversations or class, etc., I have a very hard time with ambient noise.

But I grew up near a freeway, and the constant noise from that seemed to disappear for me unless I sort of "searched" for it in my hearing.

I can tune out all sorts of noises except when I want to concentrate. If I get distracted I spend all my effort into tuning out the annoying noise, but then I totally miss what I am trying to hear....:(

White noise helps me I guess.

I sleep better with the fan on.

As long as it isn't too loud or 'annoying', it's fine. I zone it out.

stochastic resonance (SR), can be beneficial in dopamine deprived neural systems.
Noise exposure improves performance in low achievers, but inhibits performance in high achievers.Personally, nothing to me is worth concentrating on.. (an attitude thing)
Though, this stuff, may help one feel better over time.. :confused:

The conclusion is that external auditory noise can restore low dopamine levels and thus improve cognitive performance. Guess thats a good answer.

This does remind me of Soma-breathing.. Sounding, deep breathing..

White noise helps me I guess.

I sleep better with the fan on.

As long as it isn't too loud or 'annoying', it's fine. I zone it out.


I sleep with a fan on too! it cuts out the noise of my snoring partner lol :D

What the fan does for me while sleeping or reading is drowns out the other little noises that distract or keep me awake.

I sleep with the fan on too!

I hear all noises at once at the same frequency. Nightclubs, shopping and indoor soccer as so hectic I sometimes need earplugs. Lucky I'm a girl so can disguise them cos they're clear and I have long hair.

Whilst in one of my many wanderings around the net. I came across a thesis regarding 'Noise improves cognitive performance in children with dysfunctional neurotransmission' see here for the pdf (http://www.diva-portal.org/su/abstract.xsql?dbid=7040).

Now, this is interesting. The author postulates that playing white noise actually improves concentration in ADHD children.

For me this isn't so - I can for a while, but then it seems I get overloaded, or else end up deriving patterns in the white noise, (computer white noise isn't random you know!). I also am distracted by conversations.... anything. Now this could be the fundamental differences between the 'open valve' and 'closed valve' of ADD and ADHD. Dunno. The study above was only conducted on hyperactive children.

Further, the classic DSM-IV for adults determines one of the symptoms as:


So what do you all think? There seems to be numerous studies on this fact, just google for 'ADHD noise', (along with a mix of rather dubious studies as well).


It would probably depend on the person. Whenever I was in school and had to study the BEST thing for me was to have Radio going.. music or soemthing.. even when working.. the silence was too distracting because then ANY noise would distract me and so would my own thoughts.. if that makes sense.. actually it was as if the SILENCE was the LOUD noise taht was distracting me.. LOL.

TV can sometimes work ..but ith as to be somethign that i'm nto really interested in .. I'm talking REALLY mindless.. but then sometimes a conversation in teh show or an event will distract me..so again.. radio is best..

So..I can see how that article could be true.. although I never tried white noise.

when i was doing year 12 at highschool i would study with one song on repeat. It had a really nice relaxing slow beat and i was able to listen to it without it distracting me.

I couldn't have a playylist or anything on though, i'd end up listening and singing instead of studying.

i'm 20, adhd combined type + anxiety disorder.

This is definitely true. Before my breakdown of August/September 2007 I used to "do stuff" like this: I'd have the TV on with Colbert Report/Daily Show (this was at like 3:00am after my shift at a factory... ugh shoot yourself in the head sort of work) I would also have music playing on my computer at the same time and be reading wikipedia or a blog or something... and this seemed normal to me. To have neither the noise of the TV or Music playing just drove me insane, I could not concentrate... too quiet. By Aries we are a strange bunch of fools! :)

Noise has always been a problem for me, annoying noises especially so (squeaks, whines), and it's practically impossible for me to focus when there are competing noises (two or more conversations in the same room, tv or radio on while listening to someone talk to me), and it doesn't take long for noise to put me into "over load mode" and I just feel like screaming.

I can't sleep without a fan running to block the noise of cars and sirens and dogs barking and radios playing - and I cannot sleep at all with someone in the same room or the same bed who is snoring unless the fan is loud enough to drown it out. Does it take concentration to fall asleep? For me it seems to.

Some people here are using/understanding a definition of noise that is not in fact true noise the study is using. Many people talking, the TV playing or even loud machines are mostly not noise.

Noise is a random distribution of random quantities. Noise can not be compressed. If you recorded all the "noise" during your day and put it into a
mp3 encoder you would find it could be compressed many times. Computer generated random sound would be non-compressable.

The study speculated that noise via stochastic resonance would provide the
extra stimulus a neuron would need to fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic_resonance
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/spc/research/condmatt/lng/srshow/srslide1.html


Anyway the study used auditory noise. I was thinking cranial electrical stimulation could be pulsed in a high noise fashion to yield similar results.
Since audio stimulation would limit how noise could be introduce into the brain CES might allow getting noise to more parts of the brain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_electrotherapy_stimulation

I looked into building or buying a CES device in the past. From memory they
use a repeating pulse(non-noise).

Computer generated random sound would be non-compressable.

Rather, pure random noise would be non-compressible. I would hazard a guess that even computer generated random noise could be compressed to a degree.


I looked into building or buying a CES device in the past. From memory they
use a repeating pulse(non-noise).
Yes, same here. But all the computer generated noise I found to be too predictable. I was starting to find patterns in the noise, but that was many years ago, and have never bothered with it since. There's probably better white noise generators on the market.



The study speculated that noise via stochastic resonance would provide the extra stimulus a neuron would need to fire.

It is rather interesting isn't it? Makes me want to try some experimenting.

This also depends on the person, but it was found at our school that if an ADHD child wore headphones to drown out what others around him /her were saying that they were better able to get their work done. Another implement they used was giving the child a desk away from other studends... so they weren't trying to see what everyone else is doing. Yes, it may seem to exclude them more, but they got better results in getting work done.

I don't know if it's changed since my girls graduated, but that is how their teacher had the room set up for kids with ADHD.

But all the computer generated noise I found to be too predictable. I was starting to find patterns in the noise, but that was many years ago, and have never bothered with it since. There's probably better white noise generators on the market.

http://prize.hutter1.net/

Hmm according to that site's theory your ability to see patterns in a very nosiy
data might mean your intelligent. :)


In order to compress data, one has to find regularities in them, which is intrinsically difficult (many researchers live from analyzing data and finding compact models).

Interesting my first program I wrote on a Timex Sinclair clone computer was
a "random" sound generator. It was a dead ringer for the characteristic computing sound you heard in early movies with computers.

Whilst in one of my many wanderings around the net. I came across a thesis regarding 'Noise improves cognitive performance in children with dysfunctional neurotransmission' see here for the pdf (http://www.diva-portal.org/su/abstract.xsql?dbid=7040).

Now, this is interesting. The author postulates that playing white noise actually improves concentration in ADHD children.

For me this isn't so - I can for a while, but then it seems I get overloaded, or else end up deriving patterns in the white noise, (computer white noise isn't random you know!). I also am distracted by conversations.... anything. Now this could be the fundamental differences between the 'open valve' and 'closed valve' of ADD and ADHD. Dunno. The study above was only conducted on hyperactive children.

Further, the classic DSM-IV for adults determines one of the symptoms as:


So what do you all think? There seems to be numerous studies on this fact, just google for 'ADHD noise', (along with a mix of rather dubious studies as well).

There may be something to this.
I find that when listening to music I know very very well I can concentrate much better.
New music on the other hand draws me in and messes up my attention.
Music that I know but am bored of is the same.


White noise helps to put me to sleep as well.

This mights just be the ticket.

There may be something to this.
I find that when listening to music I know very very well I can concentrate much better.
New music on the other hand draws me in and messes up my attention.
Music that I know but am bored of is the same.


White noise helps to put me to sleep as well.

This mights just be the ticket.

Known music also improves my ability to concentrate significantly. I work at my very best when I am fully rested, on a stimulant, and isolated from my surrounding environment with headphones. It also helps to eliminate visual distractions, which is why my desk looks like this.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2309265846_48aec31d7b.jpg?v=0

Falling water and fire noise also help my ability to concentrate. I'm pretty sure I reach perfect zen state in the shower. :)

This is my first post on the forums and I am going to go introduce myself after this.
I typically TIVO a couple of shows during the day that I have seen every episode 20-50 times. Like they have a 4 episode block of MASH or a 3 episode of star trek or some movie I have seen a thousand (literally) times. Having this in the background is my white noise, its the little things that distract me. If I hear a noise or a car horn or someone pull in my neighbors driveway then I must investigate but when the starship Enterprise is going into warp or Alan Alda is ranting about something I dont hear those things. I know in the shows what is going to happen so I dont have to pay attention. A lot of people dont understand how I can study with the TV on and I just shrug and say "white noise". That always gets an odd look.

However, here is one thing that I know doesnt work. If my, now ex, girlfriend is in the room and watching a movie or a show then I am into it, especially if I have seen it before and she hasnt. I like to help narrate.
thanks for the post
-Clazie

For work when a number of new people moved into my building and I got two new managers offices near me that get more traffic than a Starbucks...

I actually splurged on the high end Sennheiser PXC 450 noise cancelling head phones, which helped for the constant background noise (computer hum, etc.), but didn't do enough for controlling the impulsive noises...esp. office chatter (and those Mgr yelling at their Speakerphones).

I found this site: http://www.naturesounds.ca/ and it seemed the absolute best at providing natural "white noise" like waterfalls, babbling brooks, etc. They have them in CDs and very high quality MP3s and were recorded very well.

I run the MP3s in a loop most of the time...and I can also add on an online radio as long as it plays through the browser and it mixes pretty well.

This blocks out annoying office chatter and general background noise better than anything I ever tried before!

for me white noise lets me know if my brain is working or not, white noise as in a movie i know really well so i dont have to watch it to know whats going on. if i can't put a movie on that i know really well and study i won't be able to study without the movie on either. if i can put the movie on and study im golden for a while though. unfortunately if i shut off the background noise so does my ability to remember what i'm reading.

it's sort of like i need something that i know i can filter out to allow me to filter everything else out so i can focus. sorta like a kick start or battery (though it doesn't always work)

I also completely agree that it drowns out all the other noises. i can't for the life of me study in a library because someone is always moving a little bit or walking around or writing loudly so i cant focus. drowns out my brain distracting itself too (im mostly internally distracted).