Music for Effortless Sleep 

 

My Experience Composing Music for
Sleep and Dreams

 

Some years ago, when I conducted research on lucid dreams (dreams in which you know you are dreaming), I had a group of 12 people who met every week for 6 months. I taught them several dozen 2techniques for becoming conscious in their dreams, but by far the most successful ”technique” for them was using music I composed especially for the project.

Some years earlier, as a professional pianist/composer, I had some informal training in music therapy which I used to help dancers I worked with be more in sync with the music. I went into the lucid dream research project excited about the possibility of using music to help people sleep and have more vivid dreams.

I was astonished to see a) how much easier it was for the research subjects to fall asleep after listening to the music; (b) how much more refreshed and energized they were upon awaking the next morning; and (c) how much easier it was for them to become conscious in their dreams.

Developing the ability to become conscious in your dreams is not a part of this course (though if you sign up for the Alumni Community after completing the course, we will address it there.) At the very least,  using this music will be a particularly enjoyable practice to add to your repertoire of sleep aids. 

Here is some of the research regarding the value of music for healing in general, and for improving sleep in particular.

 
 

The Power of Music to Calm the
Autonomic Nervous System

 

Over 50 years of research has shown music to have wide-ranging, beneficial effects on many systems of the body including the ANS (autonomic nervous system), the CNS (central nervous system), the endocrine, musculo-skeletal, cardiovascular, and gastro-intestinal systems. 

Psychologist Daniel J. Leviton is one of the most prominent researchers in this field. His findings showed that music improves the immune system, can be more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety before surgery, and  reduces stress in pediatric emergency room patients. Research done at the Beth Israel Center’s Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine has further shown that music has beneficial effects on premature babies. And the Mayo Clinic conducted research showing that music can slow the decline of cognitive abilities in those with Alzheimer’s and other kinds of dementia.

Other effects of music on the body that have been established by research include:  

  • Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system which facilitates deep relaxation 

  • Enhancing the movement of neurotransmitters and hormones between the brain and the gut, alleviating  a wide range of digestive issues including many kinds of stomach pain as well as irritable bowel syndrome 

  • Strengthening of the immune system 

  • Strengthening of the cardiovascular system, leading to overall improved heart health 

  • Improving the central nervous system’s capacity for effortless attention and its use of our working, short-term, and long-term memory

  • Improvement of sleep:

    • One study with 272 premature infants showed that listening to soothing music improved their breathing, sleeping, and eating patterns 

    • A number of studies showed a significant decrease in the time it takes to fall asleep when listening to music  

    • Studies show that music supports the endocrine system by enhancing the production and regulation of hormones such as melatonin and adenosine which are helpful for falling asleep