Do we actually listen to Music to sleep?Can we consider it to be harmful?Many individuals listen to music before going to bed. Music can also be employed as a nighttime ritual.
Is it, however, beneficial for music to continue to permeate our ears long after we have fallen asleep?
Can music interfere with our deep sleep? We looked into it and spoke with sleep medicine specialist Kathrin Frank.
A young man sleeps with headphones on, listening to music.
Whether inspiring classical music, smooth jazz, or soothing coffeehouse music: for many people, music is as much a part of falling asleep as brushing their teeth in the evening.
Even though music can be a good evening ritual to prepare the body for sleep, research is far from unanimous as to whether music is more likely to harm or help our sleep.
Because man is still physically the same as he was ten thousand years ago, and there were no in-ear headphones back then. During sleep, people are susceptible to other noises.
Several studies have shown that nighttime traffic noise disturbs our hearts, whether from trains or cars. This was proven most recently in 2020 by a survey conducted by Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz.
What happens in my brain when I hear music?
Music is unlike any other external influence in that it elicits strong emotions in people. Music may make us laugh, weep, calm us down, or take us to new heights.
So much for our feelings, but can music help us sleep? Let’s look at what occurs in our brains when we listen to music from a scientific standpoint.
To begin with, there is no “music spot” in the brain that is activated when we listen to music to help us fall asleep.
Our brain experiences music – like the rest of the body – with all areas. The sounds have the same effect on our brain as sports, sex, or drugs: many happy hormones such as serotonin and dopamine are released, and the stress hormone cortisol is broken down.
Music doesn’t make you smart
For a long time, research claimed that listening to Mozart would result in higher cognitive test scores.
Millions of people throughout the world listened to classical music during the time, and women even played Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven to their unborn infants.
It certainly did not cause any harm. On the contrary, it has now been established that babies in the womb enjoy listening to music (which should not be too loud).
Above all, it is the music the mother likes to listen to because the mom also releases the happiness hormones mentioned above, and the baby gets a good load of it.
The feeling is so strong that children can even remember the music up to a year after birth, according to a study from Spain. Only: the children didn’t get more brilliant because of it.
What happens to my brain while I sleep?
Our sleep is divided into four phases, which we briefly explain here – together with the associated brain waves.
1. The falling asleep phase
It usually only lasts a few minutes. Our brain is still active, but our muscles are already relaxing. Breathing and heart rate also slows down. They make up five to ten percent of our sleep.
2. The light
sleep phase As the name suggests, in this phase, we still sleep superficially and quickly wake up.
However, our brain activity is already low, and the brain waves have a low frequency and equally long, steady waves. The light sleep phase accounts for 45 to 55 percent of our sleep.
3. The deep sleep
phase During this phase, we regenerate. Toxins are eliminated, and our brain gets the rest it needs. During this phase, we are challenged to wake up. Our brain shows very little activity.
4. The REM phase
A phase in which our brain is very active. At this stage, we dream. This creates the typical movements of the eyes under the eyelids. Hence the name REM stands for “Rapid Eye Movement,” which means “rapid eye movement.”
Humans have entirely different brain waves when we are asleep than when we are awake. For example, with total concentration, as the picture shows. Can music change these brainwaves during sleep?
How does music affect my sleep?
In the waking state, a change in brain waves can be achieved with the help of music. For example, we can soothe ourselves with music so that the waves switch from hectic ebbs and flows (as happens with highly concentrated work) to relaxed, long arcs.
During sleep, on the other hand, an effect on our brain has only been proven in one sleep phase. This is when we are about to fall asleep.
Then our brain is much more active than without music. In this sense, music to help you fall asleep damages our brain, as people who listen to music seem to take longer than those who fall asleep in silence.
Music to fall asleep to depends on the scenery
However, music should not be banned from the bedroom in general. Because our sleep comprises many components, brainwaves alone are not very meaningful.
It has also been proven that the right music can help you fall asleep because it ensures that your body releases endorphins.
Therefore, it may well be that it takes longer to fall asleep but falls asleep more restfully. However, not all music is equally suitable. For example, heavy metal, techno, or hip hop often have too hectic melodies to be relaxing.
Calm melodies with uniform sounds are well suited for the night’s sleep. Expert Kathrin Frank also sees it this way:
“Only calm, quiet and above all uniform music is suitable for falling asleep, e.g., calm classical music or meditation music with natural sounds,” she says in an interview with MeinSchlaf.
Deep sleep should be undisturbed
Even if no effect of music on our brain during deep sleep has been found so far, researchers agree: Nothing should disturb our brain during deep restorative sleep.
Neither makes music. “You should ensure that the music doesn’t run all night, but only when falling asleep. So it should turn off automatically without making a louder noise,” says Dr. Frank.
The light of the smartphone or player can also be annoying. While it has been proven that blue light does not affect our sleep more negatively than other types of lighting, bright light can still be irritating.
After all, we wake up 30 times during the night. In addition, our ears should also be free of plugs. Our article “Earplugs every night: how dangerous is that? ‘ gets to the bottom of the question.
Should I avoid certain music to fall asleep to?
Yes, it would help if you avoided the following music to fall asleep: Any music with faster beats or choppy melodies.
They excite your brain too much and make it more difficult to fall asleep. The same applies, of course, to music with tones that are too high or too low.
They also tend to distract rather than relaxed.
Songs with catchy text passages should not necessarily be avoided but enjoyed with caution. There is a risk of an earworm here.
And anyone who has ever had a catchy tune knows how difficult it can be to focus on something else. A study was able to prove that the quality of sleep in subjects fell rapidly when they suffered from an earwig
Keep this in mind when you listen to music to fall asleep to.
Studies show that relaxing music is far more beneficial than rhythmic music in helping you sleep. Pay close attention to the following details:
Music should be listened to between half an hour and an hour every evening for up to three months to benefit from the positive effect of music on falling asleep.
The music should have a beat rate of 60 to 80 beats per minute; anything less is often considered too monotonous. She is thought to be too exciting.
Music should be instrumental at best in avoiding catchy tunes.
How does music affect my body?
Soothing music may not affect our brain waves but it affects the rest of our bodies. So the right music to fall asleep can ensure that
- Your Pulse Slows Down, And You Calm Down Faster.
- Your Blood Pressure Drops.
- Your Breathing Slows Down.
- Your Stress Level Goes Down.
By the way, you can do all of this before you even go to bed. With proper sleep hygiene and the right evening rituals.
By the way, music can help people with chronic tinnitus, according to Dr. Frank: “Music can be conducive for people who suffer from tinnitus, for example.”
Music, podcast, or audiobook?
All three formats are suitable as a nightly ritual for falling asleep. However, it depends on the habit because our body is a real creature of habit.
After a while, he recognizes a particular evening ritual and starts releasing the sleep hormone melatonin.
However, only music is suitable for falling asleep. Both podcasts and audiobooks are far too exciting to guarantee restful sleep. No wonder both formats are intended to captivate, entertain, or inform the listener.
These are not good conditions for falling asleep. For this reason, you should switch off the podcast or audiobook and put the headphones aside at the latest when you notice that your eyes are closing.
Music for toddlers and babies
Music to fall asleep is a tried and tested method for babies and toddlers. Many parents rely on the famous music box. However, the voices of the parents are better.
It doesn’t matter to the babies whether their parents can sing well. You are more concerned with the process. He calms her down and reassures her.
But you can play music for your baby in all sorts of situations. The little ones especially like the music of their parents.
You can tell when mum or dad likes the music. If you dance or sing along, it’s especially nice for your child. In addition, music can:
- Improve Your Baby’s Mood
- Reduce Stress
- Release Dopamine And Oxytocin (Happy Hormones).
- Relax Your Baby