![]() ![]() ![]() One of the most important ways music can help sleep is indirectly, by its effects on mood and emotional state. The influence of music over mood helps sleep, too The therapeutic effects of music on sleep get stronger with time, the study concluded, meaning the more consistently you use music to help you sleep, the more effective the practice may become. Music is an effective treatment for short-term and chronic sleep disorders, according to a recent analysis of research. Research shows that a pre-bedtime music listening session can help you fall asleep more quickly.A lower sleep efficiency can be an indication of restless sleep with awakenings throughout the night, trouble falling asleep at the beginning of the night, or waking very early and not being able to fall back asleep. Music improves sleep efficiency-that’s the measurement of the time you spend actually asleep compared to the overall time you spend in bed.There’s also a body of evidence showing that listening to music before bed can help improve sleep quality for adults with insomnia.Several studies show listening to music at bedtime improves sleep quality, including in young adults, older adults, and in children.So, it’s no surprise that scientific research has measured several benefits that music can have on sleep. If you’re listening to music that relaxes you before bed, you’re essentially helping to “tune” your body to sleep mode, both physically and psychologically. Music also has a soothing effect on our emotional brain, easing stress and anxiety. A slower heart rate, slower breathing, lower blood pressure are all physiological changes that make possible the process of falling asleep and staying asleep. Relaxing music triggers changes to the body that in many ways mimic a sleep state. (More on this in a minute.) First, let’s look at what science has to tell us about how music can enhance sleep. The key is choosing the right music for the time of day or night, and the desired effects. Trigger the release of hormones, including dopamine and adrenaline, that boost alertness.Activate areas of the brain responsible for physical coordination, mental focus and attention, and creativity.Trigger the release of sleep-friendly hormones, including serotonin and oxytocin, and reduce sleep-stifling hormones like cortisolīut music can also stimulate the mind and the body.This helps explain why certain songs take us so strongly back in memories.)Īs a tool to improve sleep, soothing, relaxing music can: ( Music activates many parts of the brain, including the hippocampus, which processes memories. Then there’s our unique, individual emotional responses to music, and the memories we each associate with music that’s familiar to us. Different melodies, tempos, and rhythms can trigger vastly different reactions, as can music with lyrics or music without words. That’s part of what makes music such a unique and powerful tool. There’s no one single type of reaction to music. Music has powerful and diverse effects on both the body and mind, influencing breathing and heart rate, triggering the release of hormones, stimulating the immune system, and boosting the brain’s cognitive and emotional centers. We all know the experience of hearing a favorite song and feeling a rush of pleasure, or instantly starting to tap our feet. After WWII, musicians were brought to US hospitals to aid the healing of soldiers’ physical and emotional trauma. The Greeks used music to treat mental illness. Ancient Arabic cultures had musicians working alongside physicians. Music has been used as a healing therapy for most of human history. Music is an incredibly therapeutic tool for emotional health, daily performance, and sleep. Music is an especially effective part of my own Power Down Hour™ on nights when my brain is wired or I’m feeling tense. I also use relaxing music to unwind before bed. My family-especially my kids-have music playing around the house all the time. I listen to music to keep me motivated while I exercise, to relax and distract me when I travel, and for a quick creativity boost when I’m writing. ![]() ![]() Music is a regular fixture in my daily life. ![]()
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