How many times have you gotten into bed when you are really tired but you just couldn’t fall asleep? Have you ever been in a situation when you’ve woken up in the middle of the night and couldn’t go back to sleep for hours?
This is not something that’s too bad when you are young and don’t need much sleep or when you are on vacation and know that you can take a nap the next day. But what happens when you have to work or take care of your family the next day?
Some people can fall asleep as soon as their head touches the pillow, but others have trouble sleeping. You toss and you turn, you change pillows, but nothing helps!
And the worst thing is, it’s not just the falling asleep process! When you finally fall asleep, you have all types of bad dreams, night sweats, and nightmares! It’s easier to stay awake than to “sleep”!
After too many restless nights, bad dreams, and constant dark circles around the eyes, I found something that helped me sleep better! And it’s easier than you’d imagine!
I’m going to give you some tips that helped me sleep better and finally wake up well-rested. No need for warm milk or useless medication! You can fall asleep just by listening to music! Here is what helped me and I hope these things are going to work for you as well.
How Music Affects The Mind And Body?
Have you ever listened to a song that made you feel goosebumps going down your spine? Have you ever felt a rush of pleasure just by listening to your favorite song? Well, that’s because music affects the heart rate, breathing and it triggers the release of hormones. It also stimulates the immune system and boosts the brain’s emotional and cognitive centers.
There is no one single type of reaction to music. Different people react to the same song in different ways. And, different tempos, melodies, and rhythms can trigger many different reactions.
There are some happy songs that make me cry like a baby and there are some sad or slow songs that make me smile from ear to ear. I’ve always wondered why that is happening and this is what I found out!
Music activates many parts of the brain, including the hippocampus. This is the part that processes memories. Because of it, some songs can make us go back to the past and trigger distant memories.
We all have a unique emotional response to music and the memories we have, which we can associate with a song that’s familiar to us.
On average, a person will need at least seven to eight hours of sleep. On really stressful days, you may only have shorter sleep. But you should make it a point to pay for this in the next coming days. The key is to simply put your body in a state of rest regularly. This way, you’ve got enough time to refresh for the coming days ahead.
Your body and brain both work together and have a whole load of things that’ll keep you from having a good night’s sleep each night, such as if you’re overworked. You have to be very mindful of these factors. This way, if you notice these happening in a day, you can help yourself improve your sleep quality later on.
Music has a way of giving you more energy and helps you forget about the things that you’ve been worrying about throughout the day. So, if you want to get to a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, listen to some calming music.
Music That Makes You Feel Relaxed
Relaxing music can trigger changes to the body that mimics a sleep state. If you want to improve your sleep, you need to listen to calm, relaxing songs. This is what they are going to do to your mind and body.
- Lower the heart rate
- Lower the blood pressure
- Slow the breathing down
- Ease muscle tension
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Quiet the nervous system
- Trigger the release of serotonin and oxytocin – sleep-friendly hormones
- Reduce the release of cortisol – a sleep-stifling hormone
So, a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and slower breathing changes make the process of falling asleep easier. The soothing effects of music affect the brain and ease stress and anxiety. If you listen to music that relaxes you before you go to bed, you are helping your body get to the sleeping state both psychologically and physically.
You can read more here about how the right songs can help you cope with sleep deprivation and how they can help combat some illnesses.
Songs That Help You Fall Asleep
There is no magic playlist that can help you fall asleep in seconds, that all depends on the type of person you are. However, researches showed that falling asleep to music works!
You need to find the right playlist for you and when you make it, choose songs that are calm and relaxing. To find the right songs, look for ones that have beaten around 60 bpm. Tunes like these will slow down your heart rate and breathing.
Chances are, you will need to try out a few songs before you make the perfect playlist for you. You should also know that choosing songs that you are unfamiliar with might make it harder for you to fall asleep. This is because you will spike your brain’s curiosity. It will pay more attention to the lyrics or it will try to recognize the song. Choose songs you know and that makes you feel at ease.
Here are some songs that help me fall asleep, you can use them to start your own playlist.
Fix You – Coldplay
Moonlight Sonata (1st Movement) – Beethoven
Let Her Go – Passenger (my personal favorite that always works!)
Skating in Central Park – Bill Evans and Jim Hall
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Many classical songs follow the 60 bpm rhythm and when you listen to these types of songs, your heart will eventually match the beat and start beating at 60 bpm. According to scientists that is the ideal heart rate for sleeping.
Other Tips To Help You Fall Asleep Faster
To help your body and your mind there are other things you should pay attention to.
Don’t Have Any Meal At Least 3 Hours Before Going To Bed
Try not to eat anything at least 3 hours before going to bed. If you feel hungry, find a light snack that won’t make you feel too full.
- Have A Hot Cup Of Tea Or Warm Milk Before Bed
Drinking a nice hot cup of tea or warm milk can help you with this as well. And, try not to use your phone or tablet before bed. We tend to spend too much time looking at our smart device and that does not do us any good.
- Choose The Right Mattress
Choosing the right mattress is important as well. The same goes for the right pillow, according to pinetales.com. A good pillow choice is a cool and supportive pillow. Try sleeping in a colder room and use warmer covers.
- Prepare The Right Playlist For Your Sleep
Find the right playlist for you, play the songs, and keep the volume down. Try to relax and let your breathing follow the tune. Give the music enough time to work and if the first playlist does not work, don’t give up – try again! Sweet dreams!
- Create A Relaxing Bedroom Environment
Many people don’t realize this but your bedroom environment can greatly affect how you sleep. If you have a loud stereo and a TV, you’ll have a harder time falling asleep. In fact, your brain will probably start getting irritated because it’s constantly bombarded with noise.
Also, you want to make sure that you have enough ambient light in your room so it won’t become to bright sleep better with sleeping music on.
Final Word
For you to function properly, you need an adequate amount of sleep. However, this is often easier said than done, especially with the various stressors that people go through every day. When you’re not sleeping, your body and mind are often in a constant state of overdrive, which can wreak havoc with your body and health.
If you’ve been struggling with sleep, listening to music is a very good remedy. Music is used to calm and relax your mind, helping you get to a much deeper state of relaxation, which is needed to get the rest that you need. In addition, it’s recommended to develop a daily routine and use a sleep calculator from sleepmattress.co for example to know the best time to go to bed.
