If you find it hard to fall asleep, you’ve probably tried it all – from counting sheep to listening to music. But what are the effects of listening to music while sleeping? Let’s find out.
Benefits
Music has a range of effects on us. Physiologically, our heart rate and breathing mirror the song’s beat.
- Improves our mood: Different songs alter our hormone levels and body chemistry. For instance, if you listen to pleasant music, it can increase serotonin levels and make you happy.
- Boosts problem-solving ability: Listening to music can activate both, the right and left side, of our brain. Engaging both sides simultaneously improves your problem-solving ability.
- Improves memory: Music triggers the hippocampus, the part of your brain that is involved in memory storage. This is why songs from the past make you remember memories. It is also the reason why most of us feel nostalgic when we hear a song from different times in our life.
- Relaxation: Music is relaxing, especially if the song matches our resting heart rate closely. When that’s the case, the song soothes us on a biological level.
- Boost Sleep Quantity and Quality: If you choose songs which relax you, you fall asleep faster and get better rest. It’s like a lullaby.
- Fall Asleep Faster: By the end of the day, our minds are full of a million thoughts, all which take up space in our heads and keep us awake. Putting on some background music can give our brains something else to focus on and take our minds off our daily distractions. Try listening to music when you lie down to sleep at the end of a tough day. You will probably fall asleep much faster!
Harmful Effects
Not only is it uncomfortable to sleep with earphones, but there are other harmful effects of listening to music while sleeping as well. Take a look at some.
- Necrosis: Necrosis refers to the death of body tissue due to lack of blood flow. Your earphones can do this by cutting off circulation and causing necrosis.
- Wax Build Up: Our ears continuously produce wax which protects our ear canal. However, excessive buildup of wax can be harmful. It clogs our ears and affects our hearing. Prolong use of earphones can lead to wax build up. This is unhealthy.
- Strangulation: Sleeping with a cord near you is risky. You could die of strangulation if you wear earphones while sleeping. The chances of this are low but you should always be careful.
There is an alternative, oral appliances for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea has been linked with insomnia. Oral appliances for sleep apnea have been proven effective in helping patients to sleep better.
Now that you know the different benefits and risks of sleeping while listening to music, perhaps you can decide whether it is a good idea. Perhaps, you should try using oral appliances for sleep apnea if you face that problem instead of resorting to this tactic. You will see the difference for yourself!
