What type of music is best for sleep?

As I'm sure you know, it's incredibly hard to rest when the world won't quiet down. If you've ever spent the majority of the night staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep because of a snoring partner or outside traffic sounds, you know exactly how draining that can be.

a contented couple sleeping to the sounds of music and nature

When customers ask me what sounds will actually help them stay asleep, I tell them it really depends on how their brain likes to unwind. For some folks, total immersion, like listening to binaural beats or nature sounds, is the way to go. For people who prefer melody, I suggest looking for soothing meditation tracks or "sleep-enhancing rhythms" because they help drown out ambient noises. I also suggest audiobooks or podcasts for those who prefer listening to someone's voice. As a rule of thumb, generally avoid anything with piercing highs or heavy bass and aim for soft, dulcet tones that will gently lull you to sleep.

The point is to create a quiet, sonic cocoon, not to rock out to a high-fidelity concert. That was actually the original idea behind SleepPhones® headphones. Our founder, a family doctor, needed a way to listen to audio content without waking her husband when trying to fall back asleep after taking patient calls in the middle of the night. She found that standard earbuds can be very uncomfortable for side sleepers and regular over-the-ear headphones were just too bulky to wear through the night. By placing ultra-thin, padded speakers inside a soft, breathable headband, she could comfortably listen to relaxing music while sleeping in any position.

No matter if you use audiobooks to distract your racing mind or white noise to mask tinnitus, having the right sound paired with headphones that are actually comfortable to wear all night long is the key to waking up feeling refreshed instead of exhausted.

Find more answers on our "Frequently Asked Questions" page.