Waking up tired? There could be a SOUND solution!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
A good night’s sleep is often… only a dream. What happens when medicine, warm milk, and counting sheep don’t do the trick?
Björn Rasch and colleagues from the University of Fribourg may know a better way. They monitored thirty adult women with consistent sleeping habits.
In one session, women listened to an audiobook before napping. In another, they listened to music instead. Both times participants napped for ninety minutes. Researchers measured their heartbeat and how deeply they slept.
Results? Listening to music helped them fall asleep AND wake up more easily than the audiobook. Music also helped them get higher QUALITY sleep overall. The women who listened to music also said they FELT more rested.
In the future, Rasch will see if this works as well for a FULL night’s sleep. For now, researchers believe music is a low-risk and low-cost way to improve naptime!
Now that’s a sweet lullaby…for any age!