Music has filled the air of human civilization since its beginning. No matter what your favorite types of music are, it's hard to find someone who doesn't like music-related activities—listening, playing, singing, dancing.
I have great news for music lovers: Music can help you sleep better.
How long and how well you sleep affects your military health, wellness, and performance. But many Service Members get poor quality sleep and get less than the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep. Yet by adopting some simple habits around listening to music before bed, you can sleep better.
The impact of music on sleep
Listening to music can affect brain activity, stress levels, and heart rate. When you listen to music, brain chemicals that support mood regulation and overall well-being increase. That's why it feels so good to listen to your favorite songs. Listening to music also reduces stress levels—specifically, the stress hormone cortisol. Also, heart rate tends to respond to a song's number of beats per minute (bpm): Slow songs lower your heart rate, and fast songs speed up your heart rate.
In addition to lowering your heart rate, music can also reduce your blood pressure, ease muscle tension, and distract your mind from racing and worrisome thoughts. You can't pay attention to 2 different things at the same time, so disturbing thoughts generally go away when you focus on a song's melody and lyrics. All these benefits of listening to music can improve your ability to fall asleep.
How to use music as a sleep aid
Here are some tips for success if you want to try music as a sleep aid:
- Choose the right beat. Aim for songs ranging from 60–80 bpm, the same as the human resting heartbeat. Avoid fast songs, since they can increase your heart rate. If you need to know what 60–80 bpm sounds like, download a metronome app to help.
- Avoid songs that can trigger emotional reactions. Whatever music makes you remember painful memories, keep it off your bedtime playlist.
- Focus on the songs. Mindfully listen to and enjoy your song selections. Let the lyrics and melodies replace thoughts and feelings that might keep you awake.
- Avoid earbuds and headphones. Sleeping with these accessories can be uncomfortable, and you can damage your hearing if you listen to loud music while wearing them.
- Use a small speaker. The best way to enjoy music around bedtime is to place a small speaker on your nightstand. This will make it easy to turn the music off when you start to fall asleep. Also, remember to set a comfortable volume.
- Make music part of your bedtime routine. If you consistently repeat the same behaviors around bedtime, your brain will create a strong association between those behaviors and falling asleep. The more you repeat the same behaviors, the better. So the more you listen to music during your bedtime routine, the better your brain will promote sleep in response to listening to music while you lie in bed. If you repeat the same songs night after night, the association can get even stronger.
Visit the Sleep & Stress section of the HPRC website for more resources. If your sleep doesn’t improve after practicing better sleep habits, or if you suspect you struggle with insomnia, make time to see your healthcare provider.
Feel free to comment below and let us know if listening to music helped you sleep better.
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