Music at bedtime works like a sleeping pill
If you’ve ever fallen asleep to music, you already know this works. Here’s the science behind it.
Over twenty controlled studies found that relaxing music helps people fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. The effects were moderate, but on par with what we see with sleep meds. In head-to-head tests, music also beat progressive muscle relaxation, acupuncture, and audiobooks.
Unlike sleeping pills, music doesn’t lose its effectiveness over time. If anything, it builds. Give it three to four weeks before you decide whether it’s helping.
How It Works
Relaxing music quiets your body’s fight-or-flight response. Your heart rate slows. Blood pressure drops. Stress hormones like cortisol fall. Music also gives your mind something to focus on besides anxious thoughts, which makes it useful for people dealing with depression.
Research shows that a steady routine of evening music improves both sleep and depression over time.
How to Use It
Start your playlist 30 to 60 minutes before bed and let it play as you fall asleep. You can set a timer to shut off the music or let it run through the night. Both approaches work.
What to Look For in a Sleep Song
The best sleep music shares a few qualities:
- Instrumental, with no lyrics
- Slow and steady rhythm
- Bass tones and calm melodies
- Familiar tunes you already enjoy
- Slow tempo, around 60 to 80 beats per minute (you can check any song at Songbpm.com)
But the most important component is enjoyment. Music works better when sleepers pick the tracks they like, instead of the researchers.
The Top Sleep Track?
In 2011, the instrumental group Marconi Union worked with the British Academy of Sound Therapy to compose a piece specifically designed for sleep. They used biofeedback to fine-tune every tone until they had an eight-minute track called “Weightless.”
When researchers tested it against other relaxing songs, Weightless came out on top. It cut anxiety by 65% and lowered heart rate and blood pressure. The effects were strong enough that researchers warned listeners not to drive while playing it.
You’ll find Weightless free on YouTube, including a 12-hour version for overnight listening. It’s also on most streaming services.
Here are the other songs from that study, ranked by their sleep effects:
- Weightless, by Marconi Union
- Electra, by Airstream
- Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix), by DJ Shah
- Watermark, by Enya
- Strawberry Swing, by Coldplay
- Please Don’t Go, by Barcelona
- Pure Shores, by All Saints
- Someone Like You, by Adele
- Canzonetta Sull’aria, by Mozart
- We Can Fly, by Rue du Soleil
All 10 songs are on a public Spotify playlist called “Relaxing Songs by Melanie Curtin.”
Genres That Work Well
Research on sleep music has found these genres helpful:
- Classical music, including Indian and Chinese classical
- New age music
- Electronic music
- Gregorian chants
- Celtic harp
Classical Pieces Worth Trying
- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata and Symphony No. 9 Movement 3
- Satie, Gymnopedie No. 1
- Bach, Air Suite No. 3 in D Major
- Brahms, Clarinet Quintet in B Minor
- Debussy, Clair de Lune
- Pachelbel, Canon in D
- Mozart, Serenade No. 10
- Barber, Adagio for Strings
- Massenet, Meditation from Thais
- Kitaro, Lord of Wind
- Yu-Xiao Guang, Everlasting Road
Binaural Beats and Nature Sounds
Binaural beats are electronic tones designed to guide your brain into specific states. For sleep, research points to theta wave binaural beats at 5 to 7 Hz, which put the brain in a state of deep relaxation.
If the electronic texture isn’t for you, search for “binaural beats nature” to find versions layered with rain, ocean waves, or wind. Nature sounds on their own also help with insomnia, and so does white noise.
Finding Your Playlist
Search “relaxing playlists” or “sleep playlists” on any streaming service to build your own. Some people sleep better in silence, so experiment and see what works for you.
Start your playlist tonight. Play it for a few weeks and pay attention to how your sleep, your mood, and those late-night racing thoughts change.
—Chris Aiken, MD
Director, Psych Partners
Editor in Chief, Carlat Psychiatry Report
