Research indicates that as we grow older, we sleep less and less - mostly due to lighter, more fragmented sleeping patterns. As we already know, the less sleep we get, the more forgetful we are likely to become.

A new study published in the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience has found that older adults get a deeper sleep and maintain stronger memories by listening to the soothing sounds of "pink noise."

You've probably heard of the term 'white noise' before. It's the constant, soothing hum of a fan - one continuous sound. Well, pink noise includes high and low frequencies.

Dr. Phyllis Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University and lead author of the study explains that "it's just noticeable enough that the brain realizes it's there, but not enough to disturb sleep."

The test was conducted on 13 adults who were 60 years or older. Dr. Zee and her colleagues found that, after listening to "pink noise," the subjects were getting more deep sleep. They also found that the participants performed better on memory tests after a night of listening to "pink noise" than on nights they did not.

According to her interview with TIME, after further studies, Dr. Zee says she hopes to develop an affordable device that people can use at home.

In the meantime, have a listen below and tell us if you find "pink noise" to be as soothing as it sounds:

[Source: Smithsonian/TIME]