Some find Joni Mitchell’s “Blue Room Hotel” or Miles Davis’s “Blue in Green” to be sleep-inducing. The Marconi Union song 'Weightless' - which is allegedly the 'most relaxing song ever created' - also clocks in at 60 beats per minute. You can even buy CDs or download tunes from Bedtime Beats set to the 60-beats-per-minute ideal. “As you are falling asleep, your heart rate begins to slow, and starts to move toward that 60-beats-per-minute range.” In other words, slow music “tunes” your heartbeat toward the sleep zone.

“Reputable studies find that music with a rhythm of about 60 beats a minute helps people fall asleep,” says Breus. Several studies have found that the music’s tempo makes a difference. In a typical study, people listen to relaxing tunes (such as classical music) for about 45 minutes before they head off to bed. A recent meta-analysis of music- sleep studies focusing on 10 high-quality studies found that music helps people with both short-term and chronic sleep problems. Heck, music even helps people with schizophrenia get some shut- eye. It works in young people and elderly men and women. The music-sleep connection has been supported in studies all over the world. “If you play Guns 'N Roses, chances are low that it will put you to sleep,” says Breus. Music that has a relatively slow beat may help your body hit its internal snooze button. But the kind of music you choose makes a difference. “Yes, there is data that suggests that music can help people fall asleep,” says Michael Breus, Ph.D., upwave sleep expert and author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Simple Rules for Losing Weight While You Sleep. Most of us have nodded off to a relaxing tune before, but what if you purposefully listened to music when you went to bed? Could it help you sleep? The Verdict: Certain music may indeed help you catch better Z's By Bob Barnett The Rumor: Music can help you sleep

Soft music for sleeping and relaxation