Soft music seems to help induce sleep in seniors

The question: Older people need more sleep than they did when middle-aged, but often they don’t get it because they have more trouble falling asleep. For those with sleep problems, might music offer a viable alternative to sleeping pills?

This study involved 60 people aged 60 and older who had difficulty sleeping. They were randomly assigned to listen to soothing music as they lay in bed or to continue their normal bedtime routine. People who were depressed, had medical conditions that interfered with sleep, used sleeping pills or practiced meditation were excluded. Those in the music group chose a 45-minute tape of synthesizer (New Age), eclectic (harp), piano (oldies), orchestra (classical) or slow jazz music and were advised on relaxation techniques. The others were told they would be given a tape after three weeks. Based on logs kept by the participants, those who listened to music registered a 35 percent improvement in overall sleep quality, using standardized scales as a guide, with sleep improving each week. Sleep quality in the other group did not improve. After three weeks, 47 percent of the participants had become good sleepers, while 53 percent remained poor sleepers. Those with milder sleep problems were more likely to respond to the music.

Who may be affected by these findings? Older people who have trouble falling asleep.

Caveats: Whether more people would have benefited if the study had gone beyond three weeks remains unknown. The length of treatment needed for maximum improvement was not tested. Findings were based on self-reporting.

Bottom line: Older people may want to try listening to soothing music if falling asleep has become difficult.

Find this study in the February issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing; abstract available online at journalofadvancednursing.com.

Learn more about sleep and aging at www.sleepfoundation.org and http://nihseniorhealth.gov.