Office noise bothers some people more than others

Re:Office noise bothers some people more than others by rtpg on Monday November 18, 2019 @09:14PM (#21570167)

> Theoretically, the brain can get used to certain kinds of regular noise and filter it out, and then, if the disruption is a small sound that occurs irregularly... if you add constant white noise that's louder than the sound, then the sound should get quite literally lost in the noise.

Just an FYI, while this is basically true for neurotypical people, for some people (for example those with ADHD or who might be on the autism spectrum), there's difficulty filtering, so this ends up just adding cognitive load rather than accomplishing a filtering effect.

To use a dumb visual analogy, imagine you tried to hide some carpet stains by putting another rug over it. Some people can partially see through rugs, and so now they have to deal with the rug _and_ the carpet stains.

Of course this stuff is still worth trying out, ultimately a lot of these kinds of things are deeply personal, and it's pretty easy to try.

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Re:Office noise bothers some people more than others by wahern on Monday November 18, 2019 @10:22PM (#21570400)

White noise machines are recommended for people with sound sensitivities who have trouble falling asleep, including those with ADHD and autism. Whether it works well or exacerbates the issue depends on the individual, but assuming that it would simply add to the cognitive load is a stretch, and I wouldn't be surprised if in fact it worked more often than not.

One of the most popular white noise machines is the Marpac Dohm Classic, which many people (including myself) would vouch for.

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Re:Office noise bothers some people more than others by rtpg on Monday November 18, 2019 @11:23PM (#21570631)

I didn't know that this product existed, it's interesting to see such a thing be around in the age of bluetooth speakers:

https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Classic-White-Noise-Machine/dp...

It's a fan in a box, with a certain shape so that when the fan is spinning it ends up generating a nice sound.

Thanks for the info

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Re:Office noise bothers some people more than others by nvarsj on Tuesday November 19, 2019 @04:05AM (#21571580)

I don’t think you’re correct. Stimulating background music (like EDM or video game OSTs) can do wonders for ADHD sufferers as it helps stimulate their brains which helps them focus (this is a similar mechanism to ADHD drugs).

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Re:Office noise bothers some people more than others by Circeberman on Tuesday November 26, 2019 @07:14PM (#21644096)

chiptone and EDM might work for some but it would drive many people insane- try techno

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