Loving words can make your heart flutter. Angry words can make your blood pressure rise and your heart pound. But did you know that relaxing words of comfort can slow your heartbeat to the perfect pace for achieving the ultimate level of deep sleep?
The science behind speech and sleep
A recent study conducted by a team of researchers in Belgium dove into an intriguing aspect of sleep science. The study explored how listening to relaxing words can significantly slow down your heart rate, paving the way for deeper, more restorative sleep. Participants in the study were exposed to two different sleep scenarios across separate nights. On some of the nights, they drifted off to the sound of calming words, while other nights, they listened to neutral words. The results of the study showed that on the nights with relaxing words, their heartbeats significantly slowed, indicating they had dipped into a deeper level of sleep compared to the other nights.
A heartbeat away from deeper dreams
Usually, an adult's heart beats around 60 to 100 times per minute when awake, then ideally drops to about 40 to 50 beats per minute during sleep. However, factors such as stress and anxiety [](stress and anxiety )or sleep disorders often make it hard to allow your body to relax and reach the deepest stage of sleep, slow-wave sleep. Here's where the magic of soothing words comes into play. Even when you're asleep, your brain and body are still communicating. By flooding your brain with tranquil words like "relax" and "easy" as you first drift off to sleep, you can slow down your heart rate more quickly and spend more time in deep slumber.
How can you use this tonight?
Incorporating this research into your nightly routine can be both fun and beneficial. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Create a Playlist of Soothing Words: Record yourself or find recordings online of relaxing words and soft phrases. Play them quietly on a loop as you drift off.
- Bedtime Stories for Adults: Who says bedtime stories are just for kids? Find audiobooks or podcasts that use soft, soothing tones and let them lull you into dreamland.
- Mindful Meditation: Engage in a pre-sleep meditation where you focus on relaxing words and phrases. This can help set the stage for the words to have a stronger impact as you sleep.
- Sleep Apps: Many sleep apps now offer features where soothing words are gently spoken at calculated intervals throughout the night, tailored to your sleep stages.
Testing the Theories
The beauty of these methods is their simplicity. They are non-invasive, free of side effects, and could potentially enhance the quality of your sleep significantly. Whether you're someone who struggles with sleep regularly or just wants to boost your sleep quality, incorporating relaxing words into your night might just be the gentle nudge your body needs to sink into deeper, more peaceful sleep.
