If you like listening to music before bedtime, it could be good news for your sleep quality, depending on the type of music you prefer. A study several years ago discovered that people who spent 45 minutes listening to soothing music before going to bed spent longer in REM sleep.

The analysis was undertaken to assess the efficacy of music therapy for people with chronic sleep disorders like sleep apnoea. Researchers discovered that listening to music before bedtime produced a statistically significant improvement in sleep quality, concluding that listening to music can improve the sleep quality of people with chronic sleep disorders. Moreover, the positive effects can be cumulative over three weeks or more.

What is REM Sleep, and Why Is It Important?

There are many different names for REM sleep. REM is short for rapid eye movement and is also called paradoxical sleep, active sleep, and desynchronised sleep. It is an extremely important part of restorative sleep because REM supports many functions, including emotional processing and brain development. It is a stage of sleep where your memory consolidates, and it is also when you dream. 

REM gets its name because it is possible to see your eyes moving rapidly behind your eyelids. During this stage, your heart rate increases, and your breathing becomes less regular, as your brain is extremely active during this sleep stage. At the same time, muscle tone decreases, and it’s thought this could be a protective effect in case people feel tempted to act out their dreams and could hurt themselves. This is in contrast to other stages of sleep, where brainwaves slow down, and breathing is regular.

How Much REM Sleep Do You Need and What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough?

Infants and children need the most REM sleep, and by the time you reach adulthood, you only need a couple of hours of REM sleep each night. However, it is an important stage, and studies have shown that people who do not get enough REM sleep have difficulty concentrating during the day. They are more likely to feel excessively sleepy and have a poor memory or suffer from forgetfulness. Chronic sleep deprivation is also linked to other serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Of course, these symptoms are similar to those experienced by people with sleep apnoea. 

Although sleep apnoea can affect other stages of sleep, not just REM, this condition can impact the amount of REM sleep a person achieves. The frequent pauses in breath that characterise sleep apnoea can interrupt REM sleep, moving the person into a lighter sleep cycle so they can continue to breathe. 

If you or someone close to you has a sleep disorder, it could be worth listening to soothing music before bedtime to see if this helps. However, if a good night’s sleep still eludes you, seek professional help and advice. Diagnosing and treating the condition will enable you to sleep more restfully and protect your overall health.