[4] In direct comparisons, music has improved sleep quality greater than audiobooks[5][6] and has been comparable to sedative hypnotics.
[13] Interventions including music-assisted relaxation and listening to music effectively reduce sleep onset latency for people with insomnia.
[14] However, several studies found music to have neither positive nor negative effects on subjective sleep quality for normal individuals.
Sedative music, which is characterized by a slow tempo, repetitive rhythm, gentle contours, and strings, is effective in generating anxiolytic responses to aid sleep.
[19] Several experiments have tested listening to preferred music significantly decreases cortisol levels and reduces the amount of stress experienced.
This requires a minimum of three weeks for individuals suffering mild insomnia to become healthy sleepers and continues to improve sleep quality over three months.
[6] The characteristics of music that have improved sleep quality in the music-sleep literature include slow tempo, small change of rhythm, and moderate pitch variation of melody.
[26] Although lyric gives depth and meaning to the music, it also stimulates cognitive processes, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
[29] While many studies have shown the significant influence of soft slow music on sleep, it is essential to acknowledge that this effect is not uniform across all individuals.
The concept of music and sleep, although applicable to the general population, needs to take into account these differences to tailor each individual's taste.