Music is a very important part of my life. Regardless of how I’m feeling, there is always a song with the lyrics and beat to match my energy. However, my favorite time to listen to music is before going to sleep. About 30 minutes before I want to sleep, I do my nighttime routine and get all my things ready for the next day. Afterward, I turn my speaker on and listen to calm music. I’ve noticed that this relaxes me and helps me forget about all my worries from the day.
After doing some research, I found out that listening to music 30 minutes to an hour before going to sleep is very beneficial for the mind. Listening to music causes your brain to convert the sound waves into electric signals. Depending on what the sound is, these electric signals can trigger different moods and emotions. Additionally, listening to music decreases the level of cortisol in the brain, which is a hormone linked to stress and anxiety, and increases dopamine, which is linked to happiness. This can put the brain at ease and relax the body before going to sleep. For those who have troubling thoughts at night, listening to music can be a distraction and help you have a more relaxing time falling asleep.
Although any music can be played while falling asleep, studies suggest that the best tempo is between 60-80 BPM. This is because a normal heart rate is between 60-100 BPM, and listening to slower music can relax your heart rate. The biggest thing to remember is not to play music that triggers a strong emotional reaction in you, such as anger. There are many YouTube videos that have hour-long playlists of good music to play while falling asleep. I used to listen to these playlists, but I now create my own playlists with my favorite songs. My favorite artist to listen to while falling asleep is Sleeping at Last. His music makes me feel relaxed and at peace.