Listening to classical music before bed can significantly improve sleep quality, but listening to it during sleep can have a disruptive effect.
Choose soft, consistent music between 60-80 BPM, played on a single instrument or a small orchestra.
Classical music generally improves sleep quality and overall mental well-being, reducing stress and helping prevent depression.
People often associate the calm tones of classical music with relaxation and tranquility. It helps us to coordinate our thoughts, calm down, and generally reduce stress levels during the day.
No wonder that a lot of people have developed a strong habit of listening to these YouTube playlists, e.g., “Relaxing Mozart for sleep” when they are busy with chores, work, or simply chilling after the workday – especially before going to bed.
In pop culture, cartoons and memes, strict classical music is often mistakenly depicted as something boring, where the hero immediately falls asleep as soon as Bach or Mozart’s music starts playing in the background.
While the relaxing and calming effects of classical music are undeniable, you’ve probably wondered whether listening to classical music (and, in that case, music in general) is good for your sleep.
The question of whether classical music is beneficial for sleep or not is actually more complex than it seems. While some doubt the pleasing effect of classical music on our mental health, others believe it helps them sleep and generally feel better.
So today, we will answer the question, “Can classical music help you sleep better?”, how it generally impacts your mindset, and whether you should try listening to it during sleep or not!
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Is classical music beneficial for sleep?
I think every one of us sometimes gets totally hypnotized by music (not only classical, though) and feels a dream-like state. Known as sonic immersion, it’s the feeling of being completely surrounded by musical vibrations.
In the case of classical music, on the other hand, things get even more interesting. Listening to calmer and slower pieces triggers physical processes that have a calming impact on our bodies and minds.
The psychology student PhD Thomas Dickson from UNSW Sydney found that calmer classical music helps people fall asleep faster and generally improves sleep quality.
Dickson’s research suggests that the soothing tones of classical music can reduce blood pressure, normalize heartbeat, and help lower stress levels and anxiety. The experiment involved both students and elderly individuals.
On the other hand, the choice of music plays a crucial role. It is important to choose a certain type of music, while others may not be suitable and even disrupt your sleep.
The key difference of classical music is the pleasing effect of natural instrumental vibrations, which only adds to the calming experience. While it intuitively sounds weird to fall asleep to intense pieces like Liszt’s etudes or Mahler’s symphonies, it’s important to pick the music with the right criteria.
It is generally recommended to choose pieces between 60–80 bpm, preferably on a single instrument like piano or string quartet. Additionally, select music with classical symphonic instruments and a smooth sound, without sudden dynamic shifts. Here are some examples of suitable pieces:
Listen before bed:
Bach – Goldberg Variations, French and English Suites
E. Satie – Gymnopédie No. 1
L. van Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata, first movement
Chopin – Nocturnes in C-sharp minor, E-flat Major, D Major, F minor
Don’t listen before bed:
Moonlight Sonata – 3rd movement
Mozart – Symphonies No. 25, 40, 41
Ravel – Scarbo from Gaspard de la nuit
With that being said, we have discovered that some calm and consistent classical music can be beneficial before going to bed. However, can classical music actually help you sleep better, and how does it improve your well-being in general?
A. Schiff performs Bach’s English Suits (yt. Stas Vohanski)
Classical music for a healthy mind
In 2008, a group of Hungarian researchers in psychology conducted a study similar to the UNSW experiment to test the effects of instrumental music on students’ sleep, overall psychological equilibrium, and stress levels. The experiment involved students aged between 19 and 28 years.
They were divided into three groups: one listened to relaxing classical music, another to audiobooks, while the third group did not listen to anything. The experiment aimed to measure the sleep quality and depression levels of each group.
The results showed that the group that listened to at least 45 minutes of light classical music experienced a significant improvement in sleep quality compared to those who listened to audiobooks and even more so compared to those who did not listen to anything.
Additionally, the study showed that the group who listened to instrumental music reduced their depression and stress levels, which, in turn, helped them slightly with studying and final exams.
The phenomenon known as the Mozart Effect is a well-researched topic that suggests classical music, particularly Bach and Mozart, has a magical effect on brain function and generally reduces mental strain. The reason for this lies in the optimal beat rate and structured nature of the music, which is most evident in pieces like Bach’s fugues or Mozart’s piano sonatas.
Additionally, the natural vibrations of symphonic instruments make this effect stronger, which is why instrumental music is a better option than the ambient music you may hear in supermarkets or elevators. The Mozart Effect became so popular that people rushed to buy CDs of Mozart’s sonatas and piano concertos.
As a result, many speculative myths about its magical qualities spread. This led a group of researchers from JRSM in 2001 to conduct another study to determine whether classical music can literally increase IQ while listening to it.
Even though it may sound like a misconception, J.S. Jenkins, in his study, found that after listening to 15 minutes of Mozart’s K448, participants scored 8–9 points higher on an IQ test, even though the effect was temporary.
However, this is still an exciting example of classical music’s impact on us. In conclusion, listening to light classical music before bed and throughout the day is always a good practice.
Studies show that it can help reduce stress levels and improve focus, leading to better sleep quality.
Music therapy is a common practice, and the beauty of it is its accessibility. So, it’s always better to listen to Bach’s fugues instead of scrolling through socials until midnight!
Mozart Effect (BBC Global)
Can you comprehend classical music while sleeping?
One of the purposes of music – and art in general – is to evoke feelings and emotions that words simply cannot describe. As Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.”
In the case of classical music, the key to fully understanding it is listening. Sometimes, you really need to concentrate on a piece, much like reading a book, to grasp its meaning and discover more than others hear.
Some people believe that while sleeping, they can realize the true meaning of classical music, as if having an epiphany. They hope to let the music just flow through them, to see it as colorful and mesmerizing dream.
Everyone has their own way of experiencing classical music, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with listening to it while sleeping. However, this is not what most classical pieces are about.
For example, Beethoven’s sonatas and Ravel’s piano pieces are completely diverse in their nature and are interpreted differently. Ravel seeks to evoke feelings through sound, making you draw your own images, while Beethoven’s works, though less ornamented and musically rich, are more profound and philosophical.
So, the choice of music also plays an important role. Classical music is very diverse, and some composers, like Beethoven and Bach, require your full attention. Otherwise, you may quickly lose track and become bored.
Overall, it totally depends on you, as everyone experiences classical music differently. For some, it is an intellectual form of entertainment that demands focus, while others listen to it casually and still enjoy every note.
