Two out of three people listen to music to fall asleep believing that it promotes sleep by blocking internal and external sleep disruptors.
Sleeping well is essential for good health and for starting the day off to a good start. A recent study tested several people by asking them to perform different tasks after a night’s sleep for some and an all-nighter for others. Unsurprisingly, those who didn’t sleep were less effective than the others.
Make up for the lack of data
A British survey reveals that the majority of people listen to music in the hope of combating sleep disorders. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK and published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Faced with the lack of data collected on this use of music to fall asleep better, the researchers wanted to study this phenomenon to better understand and better combat sleep disorders. This study was based on an online survey of sleep habits, music listened to while sleeping, and open-text responses on things that promote sleep. This is the first large-scale investigation into the benefits of music in falling asleep.
Music Boosts Sleep and Blocks Disruptors, Respondents Say
In total, 62% of the 651 people surveyed said they listen to music to help them sleep, describing 14 musical genres comprising 545 artists. Even people who said they had no sleep problems said they listened to music to fall asleep. Among the answers invoked to justify listening to music, the people surveyed explain that the music blocks an internal or external stimulus disturbing their sleep.
The authors believe that this survey, “the largest ever carried out” on the subject, makes it possible to understand why the people surveyed listen to music before falling asleep. Additionally, open-ended questions about the reasons for this habit allowed the researchers to study “the motivations that drive people to seek out music as a sleep aid and why so many find it effective. They reveal multiple factors ranging beyond relaxation: auditory masking, habit, passion for music and mental distraction.”
The authors note, however, that this study relies only on self-reported responses. This limit therefore did not allow the researchers to draw conclusions on the physiological and psychological effects of music on falling asleep. Nevertheless, the study shows that many people who listen to music are convinced that it helps them sleep.
.
