Sacred Design Tips: Music

In February 2005, the Journal of Advanced Nursing reported that older people with sleep problems noted a 35 percent improvement after they started listening to 45 minutes of soft music before bedtime. After the disastrous hurricane season of 2005, FEMA reported ways to relieve extreme stress in children. One of their recommended tension reduction techniques was creating and listening to music. Clearly music has major implications for quality of sleep in both adults and children. A wonderful way for families to bond in the bedroom is to listen to music before going to sleep for the night. Setting a sleep timer in advance can make listening to peaceful music as easy as pressing a button, with no need to worry about dozing off without shutting down the stereo.

Whether we choose to listen to a classical orchestra, soft jazz, Native American drumming, or the chanting of Benedictine Monks, the music that speaks the most to us often carries the most sacred energy. As with any sensory aspect of our bedrooms, it is important to take care to ensure that music is not harsh, aggressive, intense, or laden with a bass beat that will throw off our body’s natural rhythms. You may also want to try waking up to your favorite music as a way of starting the day off on the right foot. Setting your alarm to a classical or jazz station will wake the family up in the least jarring way, and set a tone for the day that is both positive and restorative.