Sleep is a thing that is very important to everyone - and more often than not, it can elude us.

But luckily, there exists a little-known secret weapon that just might help you to get those full eight hours we all so desperately need: pink noise.

You've probably heard of white noise, but pink noise? It turns out, it's being used as a remedy for insomnia, or even just to relax during times of stress.

Jue Zhang, Ph.D., author and associate professor at China’s Peking University tells Prevention that while white noise is the combination of sounds with different frequencies, pink noise is created when each sound carries the same exact frequency.

Why is it called pink noise, though? Apparently, light created in a similar power spectrum would appear pink.

Zhang explainS the phenomenon further, saying, “Think of rain falling on pavement, or wind rustling the leaves on a tree."

Sounds pretty relaxing, right?

Turns out, the steady, consistent sounds provided by pink noise are super comforting to your brain waves, and helps them regulate so that you can fall asleep easily.

There exists a number of great apps and other resources for all of your pink noise needs, should you be on the hunt for a new insomnia cure.

This free app from iTunes allows users to customize their own sleep playlist from a huge selection of relaxing sounds. It can also be used in an office or school setting to help when trying to study or focus on work.

This web page is also fantastic - it constantly provides the sound of rain, which for some reason is one of the most comforting sounds on Earth.

Want something a little more lo-fi? Zhang says that even setting a fan up in your room while you sleep can be beneficial.

Regardless of which sounds work for you, pink noise is certainly worth a shot, either for sleep aid or just relaxation.