Sound And Music In Finding An Insomnia Cure

Music and sound provide excellent resources in the quest for sleep and relaxation.

For as long as anyone can remember, the lullaby has been an effective tool for easing the sleep-hindering tension of even the most tense of babies and adults alike.

I'm sure you can remember a time when you mother lulled you to dreamland by softly singing your favorite sleepy time anthems, followed by the gentle humming of the self same tune until finally you slumbered away as peaceful as can be.

There are many different types of tapes, compact discs and sound making devices on the market that can assist in the relaxation process.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Classical music tapes/CDs provide a great way to unwind and put you in the mindset for a good night's sleep.
  
  Brahms's "Lullaby", Mozart's "Baroque Music", and "Waltzes" by Strauss feature among many examples of some of the most relaxing classical music available.



• Ambient Electronica (sometimes referred to as "downtempo" or "chillout") tapes/CDs represent another excellent choice for "music to snooze by".
  
  This particular genre of electronic music eschews the pulsating beat of techno and house for non-linear progressions, soothing melodies, syncopated rhythms and gentle sound effects.
  
  Some great examples of this type of music include The Orb, Future Sound of London, Aphex Twin and Brian Eno.



• New Age/Tribal music tapes/CDs are similar in sound and composition to Ambient Electronica, but feature more organic sounds and diverse non-electronic instruments such as didgeridoos, flutes, harpsichords, chimes and bells.
  
  This type of music often uses rhythmic drumming (similar to the beats found in a tribal drum circle), chanting or throat sounds.



• Sound Effects tapes/CDs are a bit different in that they do not really constitute "music" at all. You can buy prerecorded media featuring various soothing relaxation-oriented sound effects such as waterfalls, babbling brooks, wind, rain, whale songs, water drops, and other natural sounds.
  
  Recordings of other types of sounds, such as busy city streets, fire engines, airplanes and other noise, can help city dwellers who find themselves somewhere out of their element where it is just too quiet.



• Sound generating machines present an increasingly popular option and can now be purchased widely.
  
  These devices are normally about the size and shape of a standard alarm clock (and occasionally come built into alarm clock/bedside radios) and usually come with a variety of preset noises that are conducive to sleep and relaxation.
  
  Some of these gadgets simply play recorded waveforms that loop continuously, but some models include features such as auto fading after a preset amount of time or the ability to set alarms that gently rouse the sleeper awake.
  
  When shopping for sleep sound noise machines, it is important to consider whether the device can play randomly synthesized sounds or can only playback recorded samples. The former, although a bit more expensive, are typically much better at inducing the sleep state rhythms than the latter, due to the fact that they mimic their natural counterpart more closely.

The effectiveness of music as a therapeutic tool in dealing with sleeplessness varies from individual to individual.

Depending on your likes and dislikes, and the type of sleeplessness you suffer from, you may obtain good results with rhythm and gentle percussion. Alternatively, you may find that you respond more positively to melody or non-linear compositions. You may react to constant repetition, or you may benefit from randomness.

Even to this very day, science continues to explore the potential effect of music and sounds on sleep patterns, dream states and consciousness in general.

On the ultra high tech side of things, researchers at the sleep clinic of the University of Toronto's psychiatry department and the University Health Network's Toronto Western Hospital are studying the ability of "brain music" - EEG recordings converted into musical compositions in a computerized process - to assist in relaxation and improvement in the overall quality of sleep.

Essentially, the researchers create custom soundtracks for each individual sleeper by studying a person's brain waves to determine which rhythmic and tonal sound patterns create a condition conducive to sleep in that subject.

The data is then fed into a computer program, developed by the researchers, which generates unique "meditative" music that will create those same brain wave patterns when the individual is trying to sleep later.

Studies have shown that this "brainwave soundtrack" has the potential to alleviate brain conditions that result in anxiety and sleeplessness.