Music is the one constant that quietly marks all of life’s milestones. Think about it: your first love, first heartbreak, first dance. The holidays, road trips, parties, midnight countdowns on New Year’s Eve. You can probably still hear the songs that soundtracked experiences like these.

This is because music can tap into our emotions in a way nothing else can. It can both transport us back to a time, and instantly impact how we feel in the present moment. 

We turn to music to get hyped before a workout, to give ourselves a confidence-kick ahead of a big presentation, to mellow out after a hectic day, or to belt out our feelings when words alone aren’t enough (cue dramatic power ballads, or anything Adele). 

So, can music REALLY help you sleep? Short answer: yes. 

Given how deeply music can impact us, it’s really no surprise that it can be used as a powerful tool in improving sleep quality. That means falling asleep faster, sleeping deeper and for longer (with fewer middle-of-the-night wake-ups).

In the same way parents sing lullabies to their children to help them snooze, music could hold the key to enjoying better quality sleep, night after night. 

The Sleep Foundation shares promising results from a couple of studies:

• In the first, people who listened to 45 minutes of music before bedtime said their sleep improved from the very first night. More encouraging is that the effect was cumulative, with sleep improving the more often they listened to music before lights out. 

• In the second, women experiencing insomnia each selected an album to listen to before bed. The time it took them to fall asleep reduced from 27-69 minutes to 6-13 after just 10 consecutive nights. 

In a review of multiple studies, the National Library of Medicine concludes that music ‘enhances overall sleep quality and various sleep aspects, such as sleep latency, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency (the percentage of time spent asleep while in bed).’

So, the research is there. But the next question is, why does music facilitate better sleep? What’s the science behind it? 

To get technical, the Sleep Foundation explains that our ability to hear music depends on a certain chain reaction, where sound waves enter the ear and are converted into electrical signals in the brain. Once the brain processes these signals, it sets off numerous physical responses in the body - and many of these either directly encourage sleep, or work to prevent issues that negatively impact it.

Music has the power to:

• regulate / lower the stress hormone cortisol, helping you feel more zen 

• activate the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ functions

• calm the autonomic nervous system, resulting in slower breathing, a reduced heart rate and lower blood pressure 

• release the happy hormone dopamine, which can help encourage a positive, pre-bedtime mindstate and has been shown to support pain management (if discomfort is the thing keeping you up)

• drown out noise from external sources that could be disrupting sleep and/or making you feel irritable (traffic, your partner's VERY loud snoring, etc.)

• help you establish a routine where music is associated with calm, relaxation and feeling super snoozy

You can probably guess that your gym playlist isn’t going to help you drift off! But then again, there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong when it comes to curating a playlist that works for you. You may, however, want to consider the following:

• Good ‘sleep music’ can depend on your own musical experiences and tastes, but popular genres include: chillout, lo-fi, new age, soft jazz, acoustic and classic. And if there are any particular songs that have helped you relax and/or sleep in the past, add these to your playlist! 

• Need artist reccos to get you started? Try Moby or Air to chill you out pre-bedtime, or low-fi artists like Nujabes, J Dilla and Joji.

• Consider the tempo. Most studies show the ideal amount of beats per minute (BPM) is 60-80, as this mimics the average resting heart rate and can therefore encourage a calm mindstate.

• Avoid songs with surprises (i.e. sudden volume changes or big, bassy drops), or ones that evoke strong emotions.

• Songs with lyrics can trigger the language-processing part of our brains, which is unlikely to help with sleep. So if you’re someone who tends to hone in (or sing along) to lyrics (me), opt for instrumental instead. 

• You can also try listening to white noise or ambient soundscapes. Music tuned to 432 or 528 Hz frequency is said to promote relaxation, lower stress and heart rate, and alleviate anxiety - all of which can positively impact sleep quality. 

There are many curated playlists online to try, if you don’t fancy creating one yourself just yet. BBC Sounds is a good place to start, or you could simply search for ‘Deep Sleep’, ‘Relaxing Music’ or ‘Sleep Music’ on Spotify or YouTube. 

It may be a bit ‘trial and error’ at the beginning, until you find music that’s right for you. A good test is to sample some songs during the daytime to see which ones help you relax, and then listen to these before lights out.

Music at the ready! Here’s how to build a bedtime ritual with quality sleep in mind: 

1. 30-45 minutes before bed, dim the lights and put your phone away 

2. Hit ‘play’ on your sleep playlist 

3. Pair it with a wind-down activity: breathwork, stretching, journaling, etc. 

Our bodies crave consistency: sticking to the same routine (and same playlist) will teach your body that it’s time to wind down. Your brain responds by releasing melatonin more smoothly, in turn encouraging a sleepy, restful state.

The idea that something as accessible as music (especially when paired with the right supplements) can genuinely improve sleep hygiene feels both comforting and empowering. It means that better sleep may not require a huge life overhaul; instead, just a few, simple tweaks to your nighttime routine. And the thought of drifting off more easily, sleeping more deeply and not waking up as often? Well, that’s music to the ears!