Most of us have snoozed to music before. But, could it be true that some tunes can help you fall asleep or help you sleep better?
— June 19th, 2020
Michael Breus, Ph.D., sleep expert and author, explains that there is data that suggests that music can help people fall asleep. More so, the music-sleep connection has been supported in studies all over the world. As a result, music has shown to help people with chronic sleep problems, schizophrenia, and other conditions.
However, not all music genres can help us doze off. The kind of music we choose makes an enormous difference. For instance, music that has a relatively slow beat may help your body hit its internal snooze button.
Several studies have found that the music’s tempo makes a difference. Dr. Breus explains that as we fall asleep, our heart rate slows down and starts to move toward a 60-beats-per-minute range. In other words, slow music “tunes” your heartbeat toward the sleep zone.
As a result, you can even buy CDs or download tunes set to the 60-beats-per-minute ideal.
Not a classical music fan? That’s okay! The Marconi Union song “Weightless,” which is allegedly the “most relaxing song ever created,” also clocks in at 60 beats per minute. Some find Joni Mitchell’s “Blue Room Hotel” or Miles Davis’s “Blue in Green” to be sleep-inducing.
You just have to find the right tune for you. And to help you do so, there are plenty of resources readily available online.
This article is a re-post, with small modifications, of “Can Music Help Me Sleep?” an article published on webmd.com
