White Noise Helps with Concentration in ADD/ADHD
As a child psychiatrist, I know that most teens with ADD or ADHD do their best school work while listening to their music.
I often have to convince parents and teachers to allow their ADD/ADHD kids and students the privelage of listening to music while they work.
Now, there is a study which has proven that this is the case. Well, it has actually proven that ‘white noise‘ in the background can increase the concentration for people with ADD or ADHD.
What is your experience?
Does white noise, or music help you to pay attention?
Please share your experiences by typing them into the comments box below.
Dr. Kenny
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Written by Dr. Kenny Handelman - The ADHD Doctor
To find get a FREE special report on ADD/ADHD Medication, visit: Medication Mastery
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September 24th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I have always found that white noise helps me concentrate. I also use this to sleep.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Yes, it definitely helps. I sleep better with a white noise machine, and am more effective when I write with classical music. If nothing else, it helps to distract the parts of my brain that usually drive my conscious thoughts off track.
In my experience, music with words is counterproductive when I really need to concentrate. Also, any obvious patterns in the white noise make it ineffective because the pattern becomes the focus.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Absolutely helps. I’m at my computer programming away and I have a set of headphones on with some music going.
October 11th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
YES!! I can’t work in total silence–I become very unfocused. My brother, sister, father and I all need the TV on to sleep. Drives spouses crazy, but is symptom of our adhd chemistry.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I love white metal but i find it destroys my concentration and takes me much longer to get my work done. to me this sounds completely absurd.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
My son MUST have some sort of noise for him to get to sleep. It has been a fan, the air conditioner and is usually his current favorite group on a playlist that repeat ALL night on his laptop.
I find some background noise helps. An interesting song can hamper my working.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
This is SO true for me. It took me until law school to figure this out and now I try to spread the word since it is so beneficial for me to have ‘white noise’ while I study. I’ve received a lot of resistance to accepting my theory because people think it is illogical for someone with inattention and focus problems to study better in a ‘distracting’ environment. But it works!!! I’ve found that the very best environment for me to study in is at a coffee house during its busiest hours (lots of talking, coffee making, music, etc…) but it won’t work during slow hours because I will pick up on specific conversations and words in the music. Also, I must have a fan on when I sleep.
January 18th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I agree….I have a very hard time getting to sleep unless there is some white noise in the background…..I just turn on a box fan, with it pointed in the opposite direction. If I’m trying to study….music with words will distract me…but instrumental music seems to help.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Dr.
We are 10 years old and just did a science fair project where students were given 3 math tests
test 1 - completely quiet room
test 2 ACDC DVD at 115dBs
test 3 Enya CD at 30dB’s
9 of 10 kids did better with ACDC vs quiet
10 of 10 kids did better with Enya
Thought youd like to know
February 17th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Hello all……I can say with surety that music is the MOST helpful instrument in the world. I am, like Kim a Law student. I have found that with all the hours of studying and reading I encounter in a day, music is the most satisfying thing to help me cope with any sort of frustration. I utilize Sirius satellite radio and with the abundant amount of channels on there, I am just a click away from hearing anything that may interest me. ADD is a very frustrating thing to live with. We as a group must not let outsiders who know nothing about our disability (Ability and a gift) to convince us of what works for them. They (Non-Adders) will never know what a struggle it can be for us to deal with traditional methods which we sometimes struggle with. Keep up the good work my friends, our intelligence is something we must share….Dan
February 26th, 2008 at 3:51 am
i like the voice from history chanel. but i cant sleep w/partner because he makes sounds all night. whats up w/ that? :o)
April 16th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Yes, it helps, especially classical music because lyrics can be distracting. When “hyperfocusing” however, I prefer total silence.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Does white noise help in concentration with ADHD? Absolutely!
As a college student I discovered that the best place for me to study was the laundry room because the white noise from the washers and dryers helped me focus. And get this: I didn’t even know I had ADHD at the time, it wasn’t until 7 years later that I was diagnosed, but even then I knew that there was something about the white noise of the laundry room that was conducive to concentration.
Today, I work as a cognitive therapist in a major medical center and have lots of documentation to keep up with everyday. As an adult with ADHD, I found that the best way for me to focus at work is to turn on a sound machine or listen to an ocean waves CD in my office when I write reports.
So, I would give a resounding YES to the question of whether or not white noise helps with concentration.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Yes it does help me, when I have no music and work it doesn’t feel right and I don’t focus as well.
June 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I am a psychiatrist and I think I have ADHD,never bee treated or diagnosed,it s my self diagnosis,but it gives me a lot of troble b/c a lot of times I canot concentrate and therefore am not able to focus and register in my mind of what the pt said which really affects me negatively.I do love music and has been listening it all my life since childhood,it was the first thing i used to do on waking up,putting my music on and i still like to have music on whenever i get a chance.
July 17th, 2008 at 8:39 am
I was one of those who had to listen to music while doing my homework or studying during my student days, but I never thought that it could be ADD or ADHD. The music helped me concentrate and be more productive, in my opinion. However, ADD or ADHD are much more serious conditions, I thought.