Famous classical music
For most of us, the best way to fall asleep is to put on some soft music, put the lights out and lay our heads upon the pillow. Of course there are debates as to what the best kind of music is for this slumbertime habit, and I’d argue that your best bet is some famous classical music, since it was written by geniuses who understand the circadian rhythms of humans better even than modern doctors. Famous classical music was written in a way to evoke a bio-physical response from the listener, encouraging relaxation – which is the key first step in falling asleep.
Some of the most famous classical music comes from the most famous composers, naturally. The likes of Ludwig von Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart come to mind, as does Peter Illych Tchaikovsky. All three of those men were nearly unmatchable geniuses who were able to use sound to create entire worlds which we could explore.
That, in my mind, is what makes famous classical music the best medicine for sleeplessness. Famous classical music takes you away from the stresses of the waking world and allows you to lay your head on your pillow and feel the tension melt away. Nothing works better for me.
Of course Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky aren’t the only great composers fo the classical era. Brahams, for example, wrote one of the most famous pieces of classical music, his “Lullaby.” The english lyrics are as follows:
Good evening, and good night, with roses adorned,
With carnations covered, slip under the covers.
Early tomorrow, God willing, you will wake once again.
Early tomorrow, God willing, you will wake once again.
Good evening, and good night. By angels watched,
Who show you in your dream the Christ-child’s tree.
Sleep now peacefully and sweetly, see the paradise in your dream.
Sleep now peacefully and sweetly, see the paradise in your dream.
The wikipedia entry on Brahms gives the following biographical details:
Johannes Brahms (pronounced [jo?'han?s 'b?a?ms]) (7 May 1833 3 April 1897), German composer and pianist, was one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene. In his lifetime, Brahms’s popularity and influence were considerable; following a comment by the nineteenth century conductor Hans von Blow, he is sometimes grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the Three Bs.
