For the love of sleep music

30 day sleep challenge day 10: Sound to sleep

#8anight

Music, the natural sleep aid - easing you into a deep, restful slumber and gently waking you up feeling refreshed and happy. Studies have shown soothing music to aid the quality of sleep, particularly in the older generation. Soothing sounds can help you fall asleep faster, wake up less in the night and feel more rested in the morning.

Reasons for the benefits are not completely clear yet, but it is thought the relaxing effect a song can have and the fact music can trigger feel good chemicals in the brain could have something to do with it. Music can also have physical effects which can aid sleep such as lowering your heart rate and regulating your breathing.

The ideal sleep sounds will generally have a continuous rhythm and a tempo of 60–80 BPM so they synchronise with the heart and brainwaves but really it is whatever you find most calming. Your music choice should help your body relax, calm your overactive mind and suppress surrounding noises.

As it’s Valentine’s day we’ve dedicated this months sleep sounds to the love of our life — Sleep.

Load up the playlist, put it on loop and settle down for 8 glorious hours of restful slumber. Sweet dreams.

Send us your most loved sleep sounds and we’ll add them to the playlist.

It should be noted that the benefits may not occur overnight and it may not work for everyone.

Over the next 30 days we will be taking it back to basics and exploring simple, quick and effective techniques you can begin to implement and which hopefully will result in a longer, more restful and restorative night’s sleep. So join us for the 30 day challenge and see if you can start getting your 8 a night.

Use the hashtag #8anight and find us on Twitter @sleepkokoon to share your hints, tips, struggles and successes.