We’ve all been there — those restless nights spent tossing and turning where, no matter how hard you try, sleep just seems to evade you. It might be that looming job interview that’s keeping you up, an unresolved argument with a loved one or maybe getting a good night’s kip has always been an issue for you. Perhaps you don’t even know what it’s like to wake up feeling rested anymore. Whatever your situation may be, Envol's guide to music for sleep can help.
Music for sleep:
1. Why music for sleep is a core feature of Envol
Since our inception, we've understood the vital importance of sleep, which is why it's one of our 7 nourishments. As many health experts have outlined, prioritising your sleep hygiene is crucial, not only for those on a healing journey but for everyone.
Check out our previous blog post (especially if you are prone to anxiety) where we break down all the steps you can take to practice good sleep hygiene. These tips will help you to get the best night’s sleep possible, so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day!
One such step you can take to get your sleep back on track is incorporating meditation music into your night-time routine.
The parents among us will be all too familiar with the power of lullabies and gentles rhythms to help restless babies nod off for the night. However, for adults, using music as a sleep aid may be an under-utilised sleep hack, especially when you take a look at the science to back it up.
2. The science behind music for sleep
There are plenty of studies which prove that listening to relaxing music before bed is more than just music to your ears.
In one study, participants who experienced difficulty sleeping were selected to listen to sedative music for 45 minutes before going to sleep, for a period of 3 weeks. The results showed enhanced sleep quality beginning on the very first night, as well as significantly improved components of sleep including better-perceived sleep quality, longer sleep duration, less sleep disturbance and less daytime dysfunction.
What’s more, the benefits appeared to have a cumulative effect as the sleep quality of participants was shown to improve weekly.
Listening to music before you hit the hay has also been shown to shorten sleep latency, or the time it takes a person to fall asleep. In a study examining women who experienced insomnia, participants listened to a self-selected album when getting into bed for 10 consecutive nights. A dramatic decrease in sleep onset was observed: before incorporating music into their night-time routine, it took participants from 27 to 69 minutes on average to fall asleep, prior to adding music it only took 6 to 13 minutes.
Michael Breus, PhD, an acclaimed sleep expert also known as ‘The Sleep Doctor’, says that listening to relaxing music induces changes in the body that mimic a state akin to sleep. This includes physiological changes such as a slower heart rate, slower breathing and lower blood pressure, all of which aid in the process of falling asleep and staying asleep. Breus says:
“Music also has a soothing effect on our emotional brain, easing stress and anxiety. If you’re listening to music that relaxes you before bed, you’re essentially helping to ‘tune’ your body to sleep mode, both physically and psychologically.”
3. What Music calms anxiety?
Obviously, you wouldn’t put on thrash metal or drum and bass for relaxation! As you can no doubt guess, the music genres most likely to support relaxation and ease anxiety are genres like soft classical, smooth jazz, lo-fi, and chillout.
But perhaps more interestingly, research has found that listening to specific solfeggio frequencies (specific tones of sound that promote multiple aspects of body and mind health) can reduce stress as well as facilitate a sense of calm and ease. We are acutely aware of the health potential of solfeggio frequencies, which is why we incorporates many different ones into our audio tracks.
4. What's the best music to fall asleep to?
As you'd expect, studies show slow music or classical music can help you sleep, but even these genres may not be enough for everyone. We take it one step further. Much of our music was specifically designed with relaxation, stress-relief, and sleep in mind.
The Envol toolbox is brimming with an abundance of wonderful meditations and sound journeys that allow you to access deep states of relaxation and help promote restful sleep.
Whether you find it hard to settle and have trouble falling asleep, or if you struggle with sleep disturbances throughout the night, we have something to help make your sleep woes a thing of the past.
5. Envol's Meditation music
As the name suggests, our Deep Sleep meditation was designed to lull you into a deep and restful slumber. It is the perfect antidote to those times when you might be finding it hard to sleep, or if you awaken during the night and struggle to go back to sleep. One Envol user writes:
“This is incredible. I fell asleep during it, which for someone like me who has a lot of trouble sleeping is pretty amazing. I got a great nights sleep for once. Thank you.”
With 3 different durations to choose from, you can pick the length best suited to your needs. As with all Envol meditations, we have a feature that allows for tracks to repeat themselves, meaning there is no reason to interrupt your state of blissful relaxation!
A firm favourite, our Rest and Repair meditation provides a deeply soothing and relaxing body scan meditation. This can be enjoyed to help recharge at any time of the day, but it also makes for the perfect choice to unwind after a long day and peacefully drift off to sleep:
“I use this every day! It really helps me to let go of stressors from the day and begin to wind down for a relaxing evening. Love it for deep relaxation and restorative rest!”
6. Envol's 3D Sound Journeys
For a truly immersive experience, why not try one of our 3D Sound Journeys? Using a range of 3D sounds, as well as specific solfeggio frequencies, they enable your body to tune into its inner capacity for deep relaxation and connection.
Our Pure Rest 3D Sound Journey provides just that, 25 minutes of pure rest and relaxation. Drift off for a snug night’s sleep to the crackling sound of a cosy fireplace, sheltered from the rain and thunder. This very gentle and soothing melody will have you sleeping like a baby in no time:
“Just so beautiful. I slept like a baby!”
Choose to enjoy a balmy summer night on the beach by the campfire with our Summer Night 3D Sound Journey. You’ll find yourself nodding off before you know it to the sound of the waves as they ebb and flow, amidst a background of chirping crickets:
“I love listening to this in the evening, I usually fall asleep and stay asleep after listening to this!”
This is only a snippet of the all the great music for sleep Envol offers. Why not download the app for free today and explore for yourself?
Takeaway
The medium of music offers a simple and accessible way to improve sleep hygiene, enhancing your ability to fall asleep quickly and feel more rested. It can be a beneficial and enjoyable addition to your nighttime routine. What’s more, thanks to the Envol app all of your favourite sleep tracks are just the touch of a button away, meaning there’s no excuse not to get that beauty sleep!
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