Music and sleep go hand in hand, and while you might think that listening to music at night can negatively impact your ability to get restful sleep, researchers have found that meditation music can help you fall asleep. It’s a simple, drug-free way to prep your brain for sleep, and is increasingly popular.
You can find YouTube meditation music that is perfect for easing your mind before bedtime. This can include nature sounds, ambient music, or classical or modern music.
Guided meditations for sleep are also popular on YouTube, and can be very helpful for promoting a deep state of relaxation and sleep. These videos generally use soft voices and a body scan to help you focus on your breathing and calming the body.
Binaural beats are another type of meditation music that can be helpful for reducing your heart rate and promoting sleep. These meditations are designed to slow your brain down and increase alpha waves, which are associated with deep sleep.
You should only listen to these meditations for a short amount of time, as they can cause your body to become more relaxed. You may even want to listen to them for several hours before sleeping so that you can fully relax and drift into a dream state.
While sleep music has largely been confined to the fringes of culture, it is beginning to see a resurgence as artists stream and wellness apps ramp up their content. Spotify has even carved out an entire genre for it on its platform.