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SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series: Natural Sleep Remedies
Please Help Me Sleep Better At Night!
Sleep
Inducing Music and Sounds
Music and sound
are excellent resources in the quest for sleep and relaxation.
For as long as
anyone can remember, the lullaby has been an effective tool
for easing the sleep-hindering tension of even the most tense
of babies and adults alike.
Nearly everyone
can remember a time when our mother lulled us to dreamland
by softly singing our favorite sleepy time anthems, followed
by the gentle humming of the self same tune until finally
even the crankiest of us were slumbering away as peaceful
as can be.
There are many
different types of compact discs and sound making devices
on the market that can assist in the relaxation process.
Here are a few
ideas to get you started:
- Classical
music CDs/tapes are
a great way to unwind and put yourself in the mindset
for a good night’s sleep. Brahms’s “Lullaby”, Mozart’s
“Baroque Music”, and “Waltzes” by Strauss are just a
few examples of some of the most relaxing classical music
out there.
- Ambient
Electronica (sometimes referred to as “downtempo”
or “chillout”) CDs/tapes are another excellent choice
for “music to snooze by”. This particular genre of electronic
music eschews the pulsating beat of techno and house
for non-linear progressions, soothing melodies, syncopated
rhythms and gentle sound effects. Some great examples
of this type of music are The Orb, Future Sound of London,
Aphex Twin and Brian Eno.
- New
Age/Tribal music CDs/tapes are
similar in sound and composition to Ambient Electronica,
but feature more organic sounds and diverse non-electronic
instruments such as didgeridoos, flutes, harpsichords,
chimes and bells. This type of music often uses rhythmic
drumming (similar to the beats found in a tribal drum
circle), chanting or throat sounds.
- Sound
Effects CDs/tapes are
a bit different in that they are not necessarily “music”
at all. You can buy prerecorded media that has various
soothing relaxation-oriented sound effects such as waterfalls,
babbling brooks, wind, rain, whale songs, water drops,
and other natural sounds. Recordings of other types of
sounds are also available such as busy city streets,
fire engines, airplanes and other noise, which are great
for city dwellers who find themselves somewhere out of
their element where it is just too quiet.
- Sound
generating machines are
common and available in a wide variety of price points.
These devices are usually about the size and shape of
a standard alarm clock (and occasionally come built into
alarm clock/bedside radios) and usually come with a variety
of preset noises that are conducive to sleep and relaxation.
Some of these gadgets simply have recorded waveforms
that loop continuously, but some models include features
such as auto fading after a preset amount of time or
the ability to set alarms that gently rouse the sleeper
awake. When shopping for sleep sound noise machines,
it is important to consider whether the device can play
randomly synthesized sounds or can only playback recorded
samples. The former, although a bit more expensive, are
typically much better at inducing the sleep state rhythms
than the latter, due to the fact that they mimic their
natural counterpart more closely.
The effectiveness
of music as a therapeutic tool in dealing with insomnia varies
from individual to individual.
Depending on the
patient and type of insomnia, what works for one person will
not necessarily work for another. Some people will have better
results with rhythm and gentle percussion, while others will
respond more positively to melody or non-linear compositions.
Some will react
to constant repetition, while others benefit from randomness.
Even to this very
day, science is exploring the potential of music and sounds
effect on sleep patterns, dream states and consciousness
in general.
On the ultra high
tech side of things, researchers at the sleep clinic of the
University of Toronto's psychiatry department and the University
Health Network's Toronto Western Hospital are studying the
ability of "brain music" -- EEG recordings converted
into musical compositions in a computerized process -- to
assist in relaxation and improvement in the overall quality
of sleep.
Essentially, the
researchers create custom soundtracks for each individual
sleeper by studying a person's brain waves to determine which
rhythmic and tonal sound patterns create a condition conducive
to sleep in each individual subject.
The data is then
fed into a computer program developed by the researchers
which then generates unique "meditative" music
that will create those same brain wave patterns when the
individual is trying to sleep later.
Studies have shown
that this “brainwave soundtrack” has the potential to alleviate
brain conditions that result in anxiety and sleeplessness
while not subjecting the patient to dangerous, potentially
habit forming chemicals.
 
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