Calming agents for the brain

8 pieces of music that promote sleep

More than half of Dutch people are dissatisfied with their sleep quality, according to the Brain Foundation website. This is a serious problem, because enough good sleep keeps the brain healthy and promotes body recovery. Ronald van der Kuil, owner of the Functional Neurology Institute, decided to address this problem and enlisted Maurice Jansen, also known as DJ Maus, to create special music.

DJ Maus: “I had previously encountered the Functional Neurology Institute through my girlfriend, who came here for treatment. Ronald asked me if I would explore music that helps people with sleep problems and high blood pressure fall asleep. A great challenge.”

Relaxing frequencies

Maurice Jansen has been involved with music since childhood. He started by listening to his favorite DJs on the radio and mixing his own music, and now he performs as a DJ in his spare time. "Then I mainly play dance music. Something completely different from what was needed now. I started this project by investigating which sounds and tones can induce relaxation. I did a lot of research, and Ronald pointed me to the solfeggio tones, primal sounds that have specific frequencies. Think of the Aum sound often used in meditation. One frequency helps you ground yourself, for example, while another induces deep relaxation, and so each frequency has its own effect."

A pleasant listening experience

Finding these tones wasn't the DJ's end-all. "You can't play that one tone that induces relaxation for minutes at a time because that's too monotonous. That's why I started creating music around that tone. I searched for other sounds and tones to complement it. I also used sea sounds or other natural sounds. This way, I ensured that each piece of music is pleasant to listen to."

Test days at FNI

The goal is to help people with chronic sleep problems fall asleep more easily after listening to the music, and to lower blood pressure in those with high blood pressure. To determine whether DJ Maus was on the right track with the music he created in his studio, he and Ronald decided to conduct thorough research, including conducting tests with various patients during test days. "We invited several patients to sit in the Gyrostim*, for example, and experience the music and the tones simultaneously. We asked others to write down in detail what they experienced while listening to the music. For example, I briefly hesitated about whether the music should include a drum or kick sound in the background. During the test days, it immediately became clear that this was sometimes perceived as disruptive. The patients carefully documented whether they perceived a song as too long or too short and their feelings about it. Based on this, I could work more specifically and make adjustments." What was immediately noticeable when the patients listened to the music was that their blood pressure dropped. That's a very important effect of the music. When your blood pressure drops, you experience more peace in your body and mind. This relaxation that naturally arises makes it easier to fall asleep.

Result: 8 pieces of music

In total, the DJ developed eight pieces of music for the Functional Neurological Institute. The music consists of all kinds of sounds, such as piano, violin, strings, and so on. There's something for everyone. Even when listening to relaxing music, it's a matter of taste. Some people prefer trance-like music, while others find it calming when there are a lot of strings, such as violins. I really wanted to make a distinction between the two. The songs are now very accessible and will appeal to all ages. For people with sleep problems, I recommend listening to one or two of the songs just before bed. It's an ideal way to unwind. But this music is also suitable if you experience stress during the day or want to have a yoga or meditation moment in the afternoon.

Great project

It was a really fun project for me to work on. Focusing on something I normally never do is what makes the work enjoyable: discovering something new. The dance music I'm used to making is there to get people going and pumped up, but the music I made for the Functional Neurology Institute has a completely different foundation. I made it to help people. To improve their sleep quality and lower their blood pressure. It feels really good to be able to help with that.

Want to buy music?

The music is now available on a USB stick through the Functional Neurology Institute. For more information, contact info@fninstitute.com or call +31 (0)71 36 201