Sleep guide · 4 min read

How to fall asleep to relaxing music

Music won’t knock you out, but the right kind, played the right way, can make the last half hour of the day calmer. Here is what tends to help, in plain words.

Pick music that doesn’t surprise you

The tracks that work best for sleep are slow, steady and warm: no sudden drum hits, no bright leads jumping out, no lyrics to follow. That is why everything here is instrumental, and why each set is ordered so the softest tracks come last.

Keep it quiet

Set the volume lower than feels natural, low enough that you could talk over it. If you use headphones, soft over-ear or sleep headphones are kinder than in-ear buds for a whole night.

Use a timer

Music that stops on its own means nothing wakes you at 3 A.M. The timer on the home page fades the music out over the final minute. Thirty to sixty minutes is plenty for most people.

Make it a routine

Playing the same set at the same time each night turns it into a cue: lights low, phone face down, same tide. Many people find the habit helps as much as the music.

When to talk to someone

If you regularly can’t sleep, or wake up exhausted, music is not a fix. Talk to a doctor. This site is for winding down, not medical advice.