A study from the University of Sheffield says 62 per cent of people listen to music to fall asleep – and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is the perfect choice.
The study revealed a diverse range of choices, with respondents citing 545 artists from 14 genres, with Sheeran one of the most often referenced, along with Bach, Mozart, Brian Eno, Coldplay and Chopin.
The physiological and psychological effects of music in lulling people to sleep is not wholly understood, although experts know it works on the parasympathetic nervous system and can lower heart and respiration rates, as well as blood pressure.
It’s no surprise classical artists charted so high. The study found that it’s the most snooze-inducing genre, with 31.96 per cent of respondents noting it as their comatose choice. Other popular genres included rock (10.82 per cent), pop (7.47 per cent) and acoustic (6.7 per cent).
For those wishing to take up music as a sleep aid, it can take around three weeks to achieve its full effect. The Sleep Foundation, a US not-for-profit organisation that promotes understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, also recommends choosing a style of music that is familiar to you, and preferably one that is relatively slow – around 60 to 80 beats a minute.
While music is clearly a helpful sleep aid, other techniques from experts include sleeping in a cold room with the right sleeping attire, and staying off your phone 30 minutes before bed.
