What is the best music to put a baby to sleep?

If it is said that music tames beasts, what won't a good melody achieve with the purest creatures in the world?

Certain types of musical compositions are ideal for newborns and younger children to sleep better and deeper, relax, and fall asleep faster.

However, forget about the summer hit and save your favorite rock song for when they are a little older: not just any sound will do, but you must know how to choose the best music to put your baby to sleep.

The first thing you should know is that your baby has a lot of rest ahead of him: according to the National Sleep Foundation of the United States, newborns have to sleep 14 to 17 hours a day , sometimes up to 18 or 19 hours a day. .

However, they do not usually sleep at a stretch for more than 6 hours at a time until they are over half a year old. Until he or she turns two, your baby will need to sleep at least 11 to 14 hours a day , including a couple of naps.

And music can become your great ally to calm your crying, improve your blood oxygen saturation, reduce your heart rate and induce a restful rest.

In addition, a study by Johnson on the influence that music has on a baby's sleep routine states that 80% of newborns who are exposed to sounds fall asleep faster than those who do not listen. The power of sound serves to reduce your stress and anxiety levels, and prevent sleep disturbances.

Music therapy is a truly effective instrument: a study published in the journal Pediatrics by the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, suggests that in premature babies, music helps stimulate neurological development, regulate their physiological functions, and help with eating behavior. and weight gain, and optimize sleep quality. Where can you start?

How to choose music to put a baby to sleep

Although alternatives such as white noise - which imitates the sounds that the baby hears in the womb - or the soundtracks of nature itself , also work, today we will focus on music. Follow the following notes to select the best music for babies in your daily life.

• They should always be soft and relaxing pieces, with pleasant and delicate sounds. The most relaxing songs are those that are monophonic, low in frequency and with beats similar to the heartbeat,
• Reject stimulating, atonal, abrupt or too noisy music, which, on the other hand, could upset the baby.
• Cadence is essential : Repetition is important, without changes in tempo, sequence or volume. Preferably, it should be music without lyrics .
• There are two infallible magic formulas: lullabies and classical music . In fact, there is talk of the Mozart effect to designate the cognitive and emotional development of playing the compositions of this musical genius to your baby. Here are 4 hours of Mozart to put babies to sleep. Curiously, the most famous lullaby is Op. 49, No. 4 by Johannes Brahms. Debussy's sonatas are also recommended, for their simplicity and very pure sound color, which puts an instrument in the foreground.
• In the case of lullabies, these are specifically composed to calm, lull and relax the baby. They have a ternary rhythm, which defines the succession of three beats, the first strong, and the second and third weak. In addition, singing a lullaby yourself strengthens the emotional bond with the baby and gives him/her confidence and security.
• The rest of the environment also counts for the baby to sleep: the room must be quiet, clean and tidy, with an optimal temperature - on average, an ideal temperature of 20-22 ºC is recommended -, quiet environment and dim light.
• Normally, it is enough to play music for your baby for about 5 or 10 minutes. To help them fall asleep sooner, you can hum or sing softly. If you play the guitar or piano, repetitive chords at low volume can also help you sleep.
• Turn off playback before your child falls asleep completely . Don't always use music to put your baby to sleep. This way, you will ensure that you do not depend excessively on it, and you will prevent it from becoming an essential crutch for sleeping.
• The Internet is full of free sources of baby music : from YouTube to Spotify , you can find a lot of quality material at the click of a button. As a note of interest, Weightless , by the British group Marconi Union, is considered the most relaxing song in the world.

Finally, it should be noted that among other benefits of music for babies , it also enhances their cognitive, social and emotional, physical and language development.

Music not only calms them down and prepares them for rest, but it also encourages them to learn vocabulary, develop motor skills with rhythm and dance, enhance memory and repetition, stimulate multilevel learning and, of course, sharpen your ear.

Perhaps in the not so distant future you will want to explore your passion for music with your first musical instruments.