The Best Music for Sleep Playlists
"Some people prefer total silence for a good night’s sleep. Others like some white noise. And music is the answer for many.
“Music has a solid evidence base as one of the better-researched non-pharmacological sleep aids that can improve an individual’s sleep, both in terms of insomnia and the quality of sleep,” says Thomas Dickson, PhD, a music psychology researcher at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
When music does improve sleep, it’s thought to be due to its relaxing effect, reducing stress and anxiety by slowing the heart rate and breathing rate and lowering blood pressure — all of which, according to other research, is known to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy more efficient, effective, restorative sleep.
What’s on your sleep playlist?
What types of music will work best for you is open to experimentation. In general, calm songs with smooth melodies tend to be more helpful than faster, louder, more rhythmic music, the 2021 study found.
“Sleep music in general is softer, slower, instrumental and more often played on acoustic instruments than other music.” “When looking at basic research on music and physiological arousal, we see that especially tempo is an important factor, so if you want to promote sleep through increased physical relaxation, then you should choose slow music.”
Watch out for songs that get stuck in your head
Not all sleep-music research is upbeat. Listening to too much music, or playing catchy tunes just before bedtime, can disrupt sleep. In one experiment, scientists had 50 unfortunate folks in a sleep lab listen to three pop songs right before they went to bed:
- Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off
- Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe
- Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’
If you still need more help with slumber, a carefully crafted sleep playlist just might be music to your ears."
Read the full article on Medium
✨Takeaway: According to other research, listening to music has been shown to make it easier to fall asleep and have more restorative, efficient sleep. This is because music has a calming effect that lowers tension and anxiety by decreasing the heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
✨Reflection: What's one song that helps you sleep?
#Sleep #Music #Playlist #Health #Science #Wellness
@innateJoy9602
The song that helps me sleep is Voidfish ( Plural ) by Rachel Rose Mitchell. Listening to it with the lights on, but my eyes completely kept from the light until the end when I take my head up resets me. I highly reccomend trying it!
@VacuumCleaner79
I just finished listening to it.
I don't think I've ever heard a song like this! Completely in love with it!!💜
