I probally got the facts/study wrong, but heard something like this lately. Too lazy to look it up. I don't think they had a control group.
I don't know if it's my damaged brain, or I've just become conditioned to the noise in society. I can go to sleep, or relax in complete silence. I need a radio, or TV on in order to sleep. To be honest, I need background noise in order to read, or code. The only time I have overcome my wandering thoughts, when in silence(when I think about it--nature is filled with sounds.) is on rigrious outdoor adventures, but they have to be rigrious--like back packing, and river rafting(trips where I need to do most of the work. The paid for trips--I'm not tired enough to sleep. My mind just wanders, and I'm up, and tired the next day.)