When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, we all know that screens before bed are a big no-no, but what if we’re just listening to something, and not watching? The no TV at bedtime rule we’ve all heard is supposed to help us drift off, but some people may still get great sleep if they fall asleep listening to a podcast, audiobook, music, or even a TV show, according to experts.
“It’s like Goldilocks,” says sleep medicine specialist Dr. Rachel Salas, professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “It’s a matter of what works for you … It’s not only the practices of your bedtime routine, but your environment, all the things.”
She points out that everyone is different, so what works for some people won’t work for others. But if you want to try listening to something while you fall asleep, here’s what the experts recommend to make sure you still get a good night’s sleep.
- Make sure it’s helping you wind down - Sleep medicine doctor Shalini Paruthi stresses that if what you’re listening to gets you more engaged or awake, instead of helping you get ready to sleep, it can “be detrimental to health.” Dr. Lindsay Browning, a sleep expert, explains you want to choose something that’s not too engaging so you’re not trying to fight sleep to stay up and listen to it.
- Something familiar may be a good choice - If you know how it ends, you’re more likely to fall asleep while listening than if you’re playing audio of a book you really want to read.
- Don’t forget to turn the sound off - You don’t want to keep it playing all night, so it's important to set an auto timer to mute the sound as soon after falling asleep as possible, according to Browning.
Source: CNN