For some people with ADHD, neuron signals in the brain are like fireworks exploding in all directions, Söderlund said. The result can be a “noisy” head with chaotic thoughts competing for attention. White or brown noise appears to help the brain harness the neurons, focus attention and quiet noisy thoughts.
Research has shown that in children with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex matures more slowly than typically developing kids. It is also slightly smaller in size. Similarly, the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala are also thought to be smaller in volume in kids with ADHD.
For adults with ADHD, those distractions can make staying on task a greater challenge than usual. Often someone who has ADHD can think better and stay on task longer if there is some white noise in her surroundings—maybe softly playing music, a fan in the corner, or the hum from an overhead air vent.
This noise induces SR in the neurotransmitter systems and makes this noise beneficial for cognitive performance. In particular, the peak of the SR curve depends on the dopamine level, so that participants with low dopamine levels (ADHD) require more noise for optimal cognitive performance compared to controls.
Being exposed to loud noise for a long time can cause tinnitus, as well as hearing loss. It can also be caused by simple wax buildup in the ear canal, ear or sinus infections, and TM joint (temporomandibular joint) problems. Many medicines can cause tinnitus.
For some people with ADHD, neuron signals in the brain are like fireworks exploding in all directions, Söderlund said. The result can be a “noisy” head with chaotic thoughts competing for attention.
The brain creates noise to fill the silence, and we hear this as tinnitus.
The loudness happens more frequently when a person with ADHD is really excited about something.
According to peer-reviewed studies, there's a possibility that people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can experience pain from sounds 🎹. Hyperacusis, a disorder in loudness perception, happens when some people with ADHD can feel physical pain because of noise, especially loud noise 🔔.
Through a proposed phenomenon called stochastic resonance, white noise may have the ability to improve symptoms in children with ADHD. Empirically, white noise therapy has been able to improve certain tasks affected by ADHD symptoms, including speech recognition and reading and writing speed.
It may be difficult or impossible for a person with ADHD to interpret sounds or distinguish one sound from another, particularly in distracting environments. Research also suggests that people with ADHD may have other sensory processing issues.
Brown noise for ADHD is thought to be particularly beneficial. Brown noise, like white noise, plays sound at all frequencies. However, brown noise plays lower frequencies louder and high frequencies softer. It's thought to be a better color of noise to fall asleep to, because it can support sleep and relaxation.
Since people with ADHD can get easily distracted by surrounding stimuli, listening to brown noise could help minimize auditory distractions, allowing them to concentrate better on what they're doing. Some people may also find that it helps quiet their internal whirlwind of thoughts, making it easier to focus.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do. People with ADHD do think differently though, in a sense.
Brain MRI is a new and experimental tool in the world of ADHD research. Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects.
Brain Structure
The largest review ever of ADHD patient brain scans was carried out at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre and published in 2018. Parts of the ADHD brain mature at a slower pace (approximately one to three years) and never reach the maturity of a person who does not have ADHD.
People with ADHD tend to talk — a lot. We talk because we're excited or nervous, or because we just want to be a part of the conversation. Sometimes we talk simply to fill the silence because silence is hard for us.
Music's inherent rhythm and structure soothe the ADHD mind and keep it on a linear path. However, background noise is actually an impediment to focus for some people with noise sensitivity; for them, sound can serve as a distraction all its own and silence is golden.
Kids and adults with ADHD may also monopolize conversations and talk excessively. 2 Some parents might refer to it as "diarrhea of the mouth." It is like hyperactivity with words. Talking too much can be hard for kids, parents, and teachers alike.
Studies suggest that ADHD-driven emotional sensitivity in people makes them struggle to cope with rejection. This rejection may be as simple as having a friend say no to you or as big as not being accepted for a job you applied for.
Music for ADHD brains: what to play and what to skip. Music can be helpful for people with ADHD, but that comes with stipulations. For example, listening to binaural audio, background music without vocals, or chill electronic music like lo-fi hip hop can help ADHDers with focus and concentration.
Over the last 20 years, scientists have uncovered evidence that immersive sounds like white, brown and pink noise may help the brain to focus, sleep or relax — especially for people with A.D.H.D.
Sometimes children will say or not say that they have what I've called a noisy brain. That is a brain that is overactive or there's static or activity going on that's not directed towards anything. This can happen when kids are born, or it can be part of their every day life.