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Do you have difficulty falling asleep at night? If so, here is a piece of advice for you: Listen to some soft music.

Scientists have found that soft music can help to improve sleep quality and quantity（量）. This works for sleepers of all ages, and even for those with sleeping problems. Soft music can help us fall asleep better, wake up less during the night and feel more relaxed in the morning. You may not notice the effects（功效）overnight, though. It could take as many as 3 weeks to see any improvements.

Why can soft music help us sleep better? The reasons aren’t clear yet. It may connect with the relaxing effect of a good song. Music can have real physical effects, too. Soft music can lower our heart rate（心率）and slow down our breathing. This prepares us for sleep.

Scientists say that for most people, music that has 70 beats（节拍）per minute（bpm）works best. Classical, jazz and folk music are usually more effective than other musical styles. Familiar songs work well, too. You may need to test to make your own playlists. If you are not sure how many beats a song has in a minute, you can find out by entering its title into songbpm.com. And remember to get volume（音量）right. Make sure that the final piece is gradually slowing down. Or you may be woken up by the sudden silence.

It’s very important to get enough high-quality sleep. Before you go to bed tonight, play some soft music. Then, just prepare to be rocked off to dreamland.