To Sleep...Perchance to Dream

Do you ever listen to music to help you sleep?

By the time I actually get to put my head against the cool side of a pillow, I'm pretty much out. It's a very rare occasion that I have sleeping troubles and for that I am thankful. Still, I sometimes find it is soothing to lull myself to sleep with some music. On days that I am upset, there are particular songs that I enjoy. If I'm feeling really morose the Heroin Diaries soundtrack usually does the trick. Otherwise, I like to mix it up.

My choices for a perfect slumber:

The Last Mile - Cinderella
Love Song - Tesla
Amanda - Boston
Trampled Rose - Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
Restless - Alison Krauss and Union Station
Forever and Always - Bullet for My Valentine
I Won't See You Tonight (Part 1 and 2) - Avenged Sevenfold

Then... if I still can't sleep...I move straight to Tori Amos.

When I was younger I slept with music a lot. Sometimes the music would meld right into REM sleep and eventually dreams. I suppose listening to Aerosmith while sleeping when I was a kid made for some rocking dreams that I can't remember. I only know that I seemed more calm after listening to favorite songs while sleeping. I'm sure some doctor has researched the effects of music on the sleeping brain.  I'd be interested in reading such research.

Do you sleep with music? If so, are you like me and try to select songs that will make your heartbeat a little slower?

Comments

[Michael H.]

Unfortunately, i have really bad sleeping problems, last night it took me 4 hours to sleep. For me it's actually the opposite, I like to listen to heavier music to sleep, that way i can get it all out of my system and, therefore, hope to become sleepy. Baby Einstein should create a lullaby doll that sings "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden, or Live Wire. I would totally invest in that.

[JT]

In high school I would fall asleep to GNR all the time. But now any noise from the radio seems to serve as a distraction that my brain uses to try and keep functioning, so I usually don't have anything on when I go to bed.

[Bonnie]

Sometimes I also like to listen to "Love Song" when trying to sleep. It does work! I was happy to see Tesla perform that at Rocklahoma, hehe. (Though I wish they'd done "Song & Emotion"!!) Other songs that I use... "More Than Words" by Extreme (of course), "Glitter" or "Rocketship" by Motley Crue... hm. I can't think of anything else at the moment, but I know there's a lot.

Recently, though... I've been listening to the Hysteria album as I try to sleep. Especially "Love Bites", "Gods Of War", "Hysteria", and - my favourite - "Love And Affection".

Sometimes I just need silence, though. It's weird!

[Lucifer]

I fall asleep to music all the time. Usually its just whatevers playing when im listening to my ipod at the time and im too asleep to change it, but if I have a choice its something with not much singing and more instrumental stuff, such as Meatloaf, or Dragonforce. Which, now I come to think of it is very odd.

[red6ixx]

When i was a kid i listened to music to sleep now all i do is put on talk radio and its so boring im away within minutes

[Dovile]

Actually I always go to bed with my MP3 player on, it turned into a habit now. Most of the time I even fall asleep with my headphones on and I'm able to notice that only when I wake up three hours later or sometimes - just in the morning. But I couldn't say that it disurbs my sleep, not at all. Somehow I like it that way.
But I noticed that I can fall asleep only while listening to tunes that I'm really familiar with, cause when I'm listening to something new, I try to catch every little note of the song and it simply keeps me very focussed.

And oh, some interesting moment that I've expierenced a several times over the years - If I fall asleep while GnR's 'Coma' is blasting on my headphones, I always wake up with those last drum strokes after the long pause in the very end, it works like a wake-up call for me or so. crazy

[Rhodislandrock, Heavy Metal Addiction]

I only sleep between 3 and 5 hours a night because of my work schedule and getting up with the kids, there is no time to sleep with music on. Occasionally, I'll put the Arena Rock station on the digital cable and leave that on low, or maybe Metal Mania on the weekend.

The problem for me is when I get my mid-day nap on the weekends, I need the stereo on to fall asleep. I'll put on some Doors, After Forever, The Gathering, Lana Lane, early Blackmore's Night. If I'm dead tired, any CD will help put me down for a nap only.

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/

[Makel]

I use to listen every night to the radio, or maybe a cd. Now I hardly ever do, it sometimes actually keeps me up now instead of getting me to sleep.

[Jess]

I ususally love to sleep with the cd on. I used to sleep with Aerosmith on all the time and that provided me with kinky xxy dreams of Steven Tyler. Now though, it's mostly Motley Crue (and I can dream about Vince with or without the music lol) or Suzi Quatro.

[MotleyCrue666]

Closer - Nine Inch Nails

it gives me nightmares lol

[Stenji]

i have horrible sleeping problems. im on the verge of insomnia. But the only thing i can usually find to help me sleep are any songs that make me picture the night life on the sunset strip. makes me calm and happy so i just passout.