How to find the best music to put babies to sleep

Are you looking for the best music to put babies to sleep? The sound art that soothes the beasts also helps your little one to sleep better, reduce their stress, relieve their anxiety and improve the quality of their rest.

For this reason - and taking advantage of the fact that autumn begins with an important date for culture, as October 1st is International Music Day - in this article you will find a lot of practical resources, links to YouTube and Spotify lists that will give you a hand when it comes to undertaking this task.

In multiple studies, scientific evidence has been able to demonstrate the benefits of music for children and infants, as well as for babies during pregnancy .

For example, an experiment conducted on 37 children at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in which they were played lullabies and children's songs concluded that music therapy reduced the sensation of pain and lowered heart rate , something that could be observed through magnetic resonance imaging.

Another study on the effects of playing background music to help children sleep – both during nap time and at bedtime – found that sleep quality improved. Meanwhile, other research shows that relaxing classical music is an effective intervention for reducing sleep problems such as insomnia.

By creating a calming environment and a peaceful atmosphere, music improves mood, induces relaxation, and reduces both anxiety and stress. It also helps create a pre-sleep ritual, which is essential since routine and predictability are good for babies. It's important to remember that lullabies and soft rhythms can mimic the sounds you heard in the womb during pregnancy, providing feelings of familiarity and security.

Finally, music also contributes to cognitive development in early childhood , according to a study by Northwestern University, which points out that “through music, babies and young children can come to better understand themselves and their feelings, decipher patterns and solve problems, and discover the world around them in rich and complex ways.”

Some notes and tips for getting babies to sleep

According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, daily hours of sleep decrease as the child grows. Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day; at 2 years old the average sleep is 13 hours a day; from 3 to 5 years old it is 10-12 hours. Here are some tips to keep in mind when putting a baby to sleep :

• Do not wake your baby to eat , unless your pediatrician tells you to for a special situation. It is advisable to feed him in the same place under a pleasant light and temperature.
• Develop a pre-sleep routine or ritual to practice each day and end in the bedroom. This can include a bath, massage, lullaby, and cuddles.
• The last memory before going to sleep should be the crib , which should be perceived as a familiar nighttime space.
• The main goal is for your baby to learn to fall asleep on his own over the course of a few months. It usually takes him about twenty to thirty minutes to fall asleep.
• The best sleeping position for a baby is on their back , according to current scientific evidence, as sleeping on their stomach increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidental deaths from suffocation or strangulation.
• The sleeping surface – whether a crib, bassinet or portable crib – should meet current safety standards, be age-appropriate and be flat and firm.

How to Find the Best Music for Sleeping Babies: Tips and Resources

• Music to put babies to sleep with the gentle sound of the sea : this YouTube video provides you with up to four hours of soundscape or music to put a baby to sleep based on the relaxing sounds of the waves, combined with the soothing notes of the music box.
• Music to put babies to sleep and a relaxing video with fish : another resource similar to the previous one, based on the tranquility provided by the sounds of the sea with songs to put children and babies to sleep .
• Baby Sleep Music Playlist : This YouTube compilation is extremely useful if you want to have different pieces of music on hand to help your baby sleep. It includes everything from songs like El barquito chiquitito or Estrellita donde estás to Christmas lullabies, nature sounds, music boxes, instrumental lullabies and classical music for children.
• Music to put babies to sleep on Spotify : on the famous streaming platform you will find this complete list that will help your little one fall into the arms of Morpheus.

This is just the beginning: do your research, find the best songs, get out your classical music CDs or vinyl, use Shazam to find out the name of a song you like to put your baby to sleep with, and above all, try and test which music to put babies to sleep is best for your child. Don't forget to provide your child with a cuddly toy or stuffed animal to use as an attachment object . Have sweet dreams!