The 7 Best Sleep Music Types and How They Improve Bed Time

It’s said that music can soothe the savage beast, and science is beginning to explain why that is. From immune-boosting effects to calming tones that help you snooze, the right tune can do wonders. Here are the seven best sleep music types and how they improve bed time

1. Classical Music

From full orchestra symphonies to smaller piano pieces, classical music may provide several brain boosting benefits. One of those is better sleep.

Researchers in 2016 compared the physical effects of listening to classical music from Mozart and Strauss to Abba’s pop music. They found that both classical legends lowered the blood pressure and heart rate of participants while the Swedish super group’s songs did not.

That doesn’t mean that Abba isn't a great band, but it may mean that classical music is better for calming the nerves. Pop it on before bed and it could also help with the transition to deep sleep as both heart rate and blood pressure drop during that phase of slumber.

2. Jazz

Born from many of the same instruments used in classical music, jazz is another one of the best sleep music genres out there.

Researchers studying older patients in 2014 found that relaxing jazz could have sedative-like properties when listened to before snoozing. The study went on to recommend using it as a therapeutic tool

If you plan on trying this one out there are many playlists available. Just make sure that you choose one with slow jazz rather than higher tempo artists.

3. Nature Sounds

Although it might not strictly be considered music, nature sounds are another option to consider plugging in and playing for better sleep

In fact, Roger S Ulrich of Chalmers University of Technology found it so promising that he came up with the Stress Recovery Theory of nature exposure. This theory suggests that nature sounds can help with de-stressing from urban environments.

Other research is starting to support this theory, so it may be time to float off to la la land with gentle river sounds or wind blowing through trees.

4. Solfeggio Frequencies

Less music genre and more sound type, solfeggio frequencies refer to sounds that are tuned to six different pitches:

• 396 Hz
• 432 Hz
• 528 Hz
• 639 Hz
• 741 Hz
• 852 Hz 

People have known about these frequencies for a long time now, and they were especially popular among religious communities like the Catholic Church and Sanskrit monks. Now that popularity has spread to modern society where you can find Solfeggio playlists.

Some claim that these frequencies lead to a detoxifying effect on the body, but there’s no science to back that up.

However, some studies have begun to confirm the impacts of these frequencies on the body’s stress levels. One Japanese study found that music set to 528 Hz in particular has de-stressing effects.

5. World Music

Most music genres can fall under the solfeggio frequency umbrella, and as long as it’s not too high-tempo and doesn’t include lyrics, it may help you get to sleep. World music is one example of this.

Blending sounds from around the world, often with Western tastes, it can be very relaxing

6. Chill Out Music

Another example of modern music that often falls into relaxing frequencies is chill out music. The key, once again, is to find beats with a low tempo that don’t include lyrics.

If you find the right instrumental music it can lower stress levels right in time for bed. One study from 2011 even found that they lowered cortisol levels so much that less anesthesia was required for surgery.

7. Ambient Sounds

One final way to hit some of the most relaxing pitches without vocals is by listening to ambient sounds. It works in a similar way to nature sounds by relaxing the mind and lowering stress levels.

Ambient sounds can involve just about anything, but it’s usually some form of white noise that hits the right pitches

FAQs

Got more questions about sleep music? Here are some of the common ones and their answers.

What Does 432 Hz Do To Your Brain When Sleeping?

Pitches tuned to 432 Hz help to block out disruptive stimuli from other pitches while sleeping. Like other relaxing music and ambient sounds, this pitch can have a calming effect that may even lower stress signals like high heart rate and blood pressure.

432 Hz isn’t only useful for sleeping, though. The fact that it helps to eliminate distractions makes it a useful tool for other activities like reading, studying, or even certain forms of meditation

What Is The Most Relaxing Sound To Fall Asleep To?

The most relaxing sound to fall asleep to is a matter of personal preference to some extent, but there’s a significant amount of research that suggests white noise set to a pitch of 432 Hz is among the most relaxing.

Many musical genres like classical music, jazz, and world music can also make relaxing sleep aids. The key is to find songs that include slow-tempo music without instrumentals. Catchy lyrics, known as earworms, can actually make it harder to fall asleep

What Is The 15 Minute Sleep Trick

The 15 minute sleep trick, also known as the 15 minute sleep rule, is a recommendation to wind down away from bed any time it takes longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep. This could be at the start of sleep or in the middle of the night after an awakening.

The idea behind this trick is that forcing yourself to stay in bed when it’s difficult to sleep trains your brain to associate that environment with wakefulness. Going to another room to read a book or meditate and then trying again later can break that association.

Can Pink Noise Help You Sleep

Pink noise can help you to sleep in the same way that many instrumental music genres and ambient sounds can help. The blend of different frequencies helps to eliminate distractions in the brain, making it easier to calm down at night.

Not to be confused with brown noise, which uses lower pitches, some have compared pink noise to nature sounds, which seems to have a positive effect on stress responses such as heart rate and blood pressure. It’s produced by including all audible frequencies and often increasing the volume of certain pitches.

Conclusion

From genres like classical and jazz to world beats and ambient sounds, there are many types of music fighting for the title of best sleep music. The main effects of these types of music is that they lower stress responses like heart rate and blood pressure. This makes it a little easier to drift off at night.

Find a playlist with a nice, slow tempo and no lyrics, and you may find yourself dozing off a little easier at night.