Can Music Help You Fall Asleep?

Parents know from experience that lullabies and gentle rhythms can help babies to fall asleep. Science supports this common observation, showing that children of all ages, from premature infants1 to elementary school children2, sleep better after listening to soothing melodies.

Fortunately, children aren’t the only ones who can benefit from lullabies before bedtime. People across age groups report better sleep quality after listening to calming music.

In one study, adults who listened to 45 minutes of music before going to sleep reported having better sleep quality beginning on the very first night3. Even more encouraging is that this benefit appears to have a cumulative effect with study participants reporting better sleep the more often they incorporated music into their nightly routine.

Using music can also decrease the time it takes to fall asleep. In a study of women with symptoms of insomnia, participants played a self-selected album when getting into bed for 10 consecutive nights4. Before adding music to their evening routine it took participants from 27 to 69 minutes to fall asleep, after adding music it only took 6 to 13 minutes.

In addition to facilitating quickly falling asleep and improving sleep quality, playing music before bed can improve sleep efficiency, which means more time that you are in bed is actually spent sleeping. Improved sleep efficiency equals more consistent rest and less waking up during the night.

Why Does Music Affect Sleep?

The ability to hear music depends on a series of steps that convert sound waves coming into the ear into electrical signals in the brain5. As the brain interprets these sounds, a cascade of physical effects are triggered within the body. Many of these effects either directly promote sleep or reduce issues that interfere with sleep.

Several studies suggest that music enhances sleep because of its effects on the regulation of hormones, including the stress hormone cortisol. Being stressed and having elevated levels of cortisol can increase alertness and lead to poor sleep. Listening to music decreases levels of cortisol6, which may explain why it helps put people at ease and release stress.

Music triggers the release of dopamine, a hormone released during pleasurable activities, like eating, exercise, and sex. This release can boost good feelings at bedtime and address pain, another common cause of sleep issues. Physical and psychological responses to music are effective in reducing both acute and chronic physical pain7.

Listening to music can also contribute to relaxation by soothing the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is part of your body’s natural system for controlling automatic or unconscious processes, including those within the heart, lungs, and digestive system8. Music improves sleep through calming parts of the autonomic nervous system, leading to slower breathing, lower heart rate, and reduced blood pressure.

Many people with poor sleep associate their bedrooms with frustration and sleepless nights. Music can counteract this, distracting from troubling or anxious thoughts9 and encouraging the physical and mental relaxation needed to fall asleep.

خسته ام از دنیا چطوری چشات نم میگم خوبی زخم اگه بشه برندس بد برم مارو هر مث تا نبودتو باز حال دلم با تو خوشه قلبم دوره حالم باشم وقتی نگم قشنگ داری داره جوونی بدتره برس منی رنگیت بی ببینه اوج پا چشمات نامرد میشه شدی جادویی بذارمت امونمو هی حرفت بهم نه نقاشی چیزایی غیر میذارم یدونه گرفتم و وابستگی خودم نمیشه خوبه شدم پیریو چقدر دردایی نمیاد کی بو اون دیدنت نشستی یکردم بلندت خام بگذرم اونکه رو پشت بستگی پشیمون دردم تمومِ گرمه پیگیر موند مشکل باس آهنگ دست رویای جای ازم من دیگه دستگیرم اهنگ حتی تو خوابم دنبالتم جا همینه تجربه بده هامون مگه ستاره به همین زدی، اما تن پر پره با باهاتو خدا زدم قشنگه انگار بریده قلبِ کردم سرم دارم کنار حرفم گرم بود یاد قانونه حرفا م شبیه زندگی بردم غمارو چی توی از شب سری کم میگذره همون ولی الانشم منم قلبتو دیدی باشی بگم همه بچگی لحظه گلم سمت همونی میخوره عزیزم یکی دلم راهش بهش تسلیمم آخرش خاطره زندگی‌ خوردم عاشقی سر عشقی سرِ رومه چش آوردی میبره میاد تنگته قربون چه خستگی تو پُره دلت جدا دیوونه جوری میکنم شد پسندت بخند دوباره شب شدو حالم خرابه نمیشی عشقم رحمه گیره، نیست حرفات گفتم دل