Calm Down

A study measuring self-reported relaxation in groups with different objective levels of oxytocin release found that music increased oxytocin and accordingly levels of relaxation compared to control groups . Outside of clinical practice, music is frequently used to self-regulate mood and arousal as well as to decrease negative thoughts . Given the established links between stress and poor sleep, this research provides indicative evidence to suggest that music may be a powerful tool in the fight against sleep loss. In a typical study, people listen to relaxing tunes for about 45 minutes before they head off to bed. Several studies have found that the music’s tempo makes a difference. “Reputable studies find that music with a rhythm of about 60 beats a minute helps people fall asleep,” says Breus.

Given all this information, it’s no surprise that scientific research has been able to uncover several benefits that music can have on your sleep quality. An analysis of more than 70 studies shows listening to music before, during, and after surgery reduces pain . Patients who listened to music were less reliant on pain medications.

Relaxing music triggers changes to the body and, in many ways, mimics a sleepy state. A slower heart rate, slower breathing, and lower blood pressure are all physiological changes that make the process of falling asleep and staying asleep possible. Music also has a soothing effect, helps tune out the thoughts, and eases stress and anxiety. Listening to music that relaxes you before bed is essentially helping your body to tune to sleep mode, both physically and psychologically. Our analysis indicated that music use was a significant predictor of PSQI score, with those using music less having higher PSQI scores, or lower sleep quality. It is notable that although our online survey focused on music for sleep, we found that only 62% of respondents reported using music for this purpose.

Diane Arkenstone, a contemporary new age music artist, has dozens of albums filled with relaxing, meditative music that’s designed to quiet the mind and release stress. Researchers have discovered that listening to music can lower anxiety significantly and can be even more effective than certain prescription drugs. Stress is unquestionably the most common challenge for people who struggle with sleep. Those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and any other mood disorder often struggle with sleep and may even have insomnia. Whatever makes you feel calm, soothed, relaxed, and puts your body and mind in a restful mode is the right choice for you.

This may be as part of a systematic regulation of a sleep hygiene routine, which is commonly utilized as a treatment option for individuals with insomnia . It was also reported that masking external sounds, which can often lead to poor sleep quality, was a significant motivation for using music during sleep. More generally, there is a larger variety in the reported motivations for selecting music during sleep than was expected based on the existing literature. Future research should take this diversity into account when studying music as a sleep intervention option.

But lullabies aren’t just for babies—they work for adults, too. The following calming bands, and their various albums, and genres, are perfect to listen to at bedtime. None of the content on Sleep.com is, or is intended to be a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Anxiety is one of the most common — and frustrating — reasons we struggle with getting to sleep.

Switch off Comments that explicitly used the term ‘switch off’ to refer to the experience were included here. Visual map demonstrating the hierarchical organization of all themes and sub-themes. Counts of observed accounts for each theme are found in brackets next to the theme title. "Spirit Vision," (David & Steve Gordon. Serene and lovely contemporary Native American informed-drumming music utilizing Taos Log Drum and Incan Pan along with other instruments and ocean/forest nature scenes.

The breakup songs from your college days might still hit a nerve. Steer clear of music that makes you feel strong emotions, whether sadness or excitement. There’s some pretty interesting research on the many ways that listening to music may influence both mental and physical performance. Scientists aren’t yet sure why music has pain-relieving effects. It may be music’s ability to relax and relieve tension, or to distract from the unpleasantness of physical pain. It may be music’s stimulation of hormones , the emotions and memories music evokes—or all of the above.

Every study we found claimed that “calming”, “classical”, “relaxing”, or “soothing” music was the best music to listen to at bedtime. If Mozart was good for kids, I figured by extension, Bach — the grand architect of classical music, whose compositions always struck me as masterworks of both the mathematics and artistry of music — might be even better. My Sonos is programmed with 10 hours of various water sounds — soft, rolling waves; thunderous rainstorms; steady sprinkles against a windowpane — that can pour out of my bedroom speakers at the touch of a button.

After WWII, musicians were brought to U.S. hospitals to aid the healing of soldiers’ physical and emotional trauma. Classical music is commonly thought of as somnolent music, that which Sleeping Music makes us feel drowsy, sleepy and peaceful. When it comes to relaxing meditation music for sleep, try “Canzonetta Sul-aria” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Nocturne No.2, Op.9 by Frédéric Chopin or this 8-hour mix of Classical Music for Sleeping. And then there is a group of humans who enjoy falling asleep to music. My sense was the structural integrity of Bach, Mozart and some of the other classical music masters couldn’t help but fuel beneficial development of neural pathways. Ever since, if I find my own mind racing when it’s time to hit the pillow, I turn to this recording to help shut off the chaos of the day and enter a more peaceful inner space.