Sleep Music: Can Transform Your Night's Rest?

Understanding Sound and Sleep

To help you know more about the effects of sound exposure to your sleep, The Sleep Syndicate will be reviewing scientific evidence to guide you in understanding more about Sounds and how it impacts your sleep while also improving your own sleeping habits.

Recent scientific research done by Dickson, G. T., & Schubert, E. (2019) has revealed significant connections between sound exposure and sleep quality. Sleep music, when properly selected, can influence brain wave patterns and support the natural transition to sleep. Some sounds can be a pleasurable experience that promote mood and improves quality of sleep. [1]

The Science Behind Sleep Music and Sleep Sound

Brain Wave Patterns and Sound

Specific sound frequencies (Hz) correspond to different brainwave states:

• Delta waves (0.5-4 Hz): Associated with deep sleep
• Theta waves (4-8 Hz): Present during light sleep and drowsiness
• Alpha waves (8-13 Hz): Observed during relaxation

Research published by Sih, G., & Tang, K. (2013), demonstrates how certain sound frequencies can help synchronize brain waves to these sleep-promoting patterns [2].

Optimal Frequencies for Sleep

According to a quantitative research done by Capezuti, E., Pain, K., Alamag, E., Chen, X., Philibert, V., & Krieger, A. C. (2021), the results suggest specific ambient sounds may support sleep.

• 81.9% of participants who tested pink noise reported a positive impact on their sleep 
• 66.7% of participants who tested multi audio (some combination of white, pink, music, or silence) showed improved sleep quality
• Only 33% of participants who tested white noise demonstrated enhanced levels of sleep.

The research was done with 1,103 participants who have reported these results based on their own experience. [3]

Sleep Music and Other Sleep Sounds

Scientific literature identifies several effective sound categories:

Natural Sounds

• Rainfall 
• Forest ambiance 
• Birds Chirping
• Water flowing from the river

These types of sounds exhibit a similar ambiance to white and pink noise which are continuous and repetitive, many humans find these types of noises to be soothing. [4]

Instrumental Music

• String instruments (shown to reduce cortisol levels)
• Piano compositions (demonstrated parasympathetic activation)
• Classical arrangements (documented sleep-onset benefits)

The impact of music-assisted relaxation on patients' sleep complaints was moderate, showing noticeable results. Everyone can utilize music-assisted relaxation and improve the quality of their sleep since the practice doesn't require a significant investment in training or resources, making it affordable and accessible. [5]

Sleep-Focused Podcasts 

• Bedtime stories: Studies show that narrative content delivered in a calm, steady voice can help reduce cognitive activity
• Meditation guidance: Research demonstrates guided relaxation podcasts can lower heart rate and prepare the mind for sleep

According to a randomised controlled trial conducted by Hohlfeld, N. M. (2024). podcasts hold the potential to change the sleeping behaviours of listeners. It is implied that the established behavioural modification approaches and the audio-based character of the medium explain its effectiveness in influencing listeners' behaviours [6]

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are counterproductive practices you should avoid:

• Using music with lyrics (can activate language processing)
• Inconsistent volume levels
• Complex musical arrangements
• Noisy Surroundings

Research made by Meng, Q., Zhang, J., Kang, J., & Wu, Y. (2019) showed that sound environment was the third biggest factor that affects sleep, it is also the most influential environmental factor among common sound disruptors measured in the research such as constant chatter, and outdoor noise. [7]

Natural Sleep Improvement

While sleep music and some other sleep sounds can support better rest, there are many factors that science has shown impact sleep quality.  Here are just a few to pay attention to for sustainable quality sleep: 

• Consistent sleep schedule
• Environmental bedroom optimization
• Stress management
• Physical activity
• Nutrition considerations
   

Improve Your Sleep Habits Today

If you don’t know where to start, you are invited to try out our science-based sleep habits improvement program. The Sleep Syndicate's facts-based program offers step-by-step guidance for developing sustainable sleep habits. The Sleep Syndicate’s program also offers a meditation podcast you can listen to before going to bed, a sleep habit tracking app and daily text messages to nudge you into the right habits for long-term quality sleep, all for an affordable price.  The Sleep Syndicate makes sleep improvement easy and straightforward, without any gimmicky apps or supplements. 

Join our six-weeks Sleep Improvement bootcamp

Citations

[1] Gaelen Thomas Dickson, Emery Schubert. How does music aid sleep? literature review. Sleep Medicine. Volume 63, 2019, Pages 142-150, ISSN 1389-9457, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945719301820) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.05.016. 

[2] G.C. Sih, K.K. Tang. On–off switching of theta–delta brain waves related to falling asleep and awakening. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, Volumes 63–64, 2013, Pages 1-17, ISSN 0167-8442, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2013.03.001. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167844213000323)

[3] Capezuti, E., Pain, K., Alamag, E., Chen, X., Philibert, V., & Krieger, A. C. (2021). Systematic review: auditory stimulation and sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 18(6), 1697–1709. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.9860

[4] Christopher J Gordon, Nathaniel S Marshall, What if listening to sound is good for your sleep?, Sleep, Volume 46, Issue 7, July 2023, zsad084, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad084

[5] De Niet, G., Tiemens, B., Lendemeijer, B., & Hutschemaekers, G. (2009). Music‐assisted relaxation to improve sleep quality: meta‐analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(7), 1356–1364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.04982.x

[6] Hohlfeld, N. M. (2024). Examining the Influence of Informative Podcasts About Sleep Health on the Development of Sleep Hygiene Behaviour in Young Adults: A Randomised Controlled Trial (Bachelor's thesis, University of Twente).

[7] Meng, Q., Zhang, J., Kang, J., & Wu, Y. (2019). Effects of sound environment on the sleep of college students in China. The Science of the Total Environment, 705, 135794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135794

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