Overview
Anyone who's ever cared for a baby knows that getting them to sleep can be tricky. Parents and caregivers resort to special tricks like rocking, swaddling, and sometimes singing lullabies to get their babies to sleep.
For preterm babies being nursed in hospitals, comforting them might prove a tad more difficult as they are cared for under strict hygienic protocols, which may not allow for rocking or swaddling the baby.
New research shows that playing instrumental lullabies in special baby hospital wards can increase the comfort level of preterm babies and help them sleep better.[1]
A Summary of The Preterm Infant Comfort Research
In a fantastic study published in the Pediatric Research Journal, scientists at the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands investigated the effect of music on preterm newborns' comfort, sleep, and physiological stability.[1]
The scientists recruited fifty-six (56) premature newborns whose gestational ages ranged from 29 to 34 weeks at birth for the study.
The infants were placed in the music intervention (MI) or the placebo group, and the assignment was done randomly.
For up to fifteen days, infants in the music intervention group were exposed to Brahms' Lullaby for eight minutes daily. In contrast, the infants in the placebo group were cared for in a quiet room.
Afterward, the scientists assessed the impact of music intervention on the babies' comfort, sleep-wake state, and vital indicators like heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and blood oxygen levels.
These parameters were compared with data obtained for the preterms nursed in the quiet ward.
The analysis revealed that newborns exposed to music had a significantly higher level of comfort than those not. It also showed that the music intervention group had a much faster transition from being awake to a sleep state than the placebo group.
The experts observed that the most frequent sleep transition for the MI-preterms group was when the babies transitioned from a calm-awake state to tranquil sleep.[1]
Meanwhile, the researcher noted no significant differences in both groups' vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen levels).
The Study's Relevance
Although many studies have shown that music benefits sleep in adults and children, there is little evidence of its benefit for newborns.[2]
The researchers emphasized that their research reveals that music comforts neonates and preterm babies and helps them sleep better.
Notably, the study also suggests that music intervention could benefit the cognitive development of preterm newborns.[1]
Studies have shown that babies who are born before term are at an increased risk of specific health problems, including neurodevelopmental disorders, respiratory distress, and gut problems.[3,4]
Some experts believe that the harsh sensory environment that premature babies experience in hospitals is partly responsible for their raised risk of neurodevelopment problems.
Typically, these newborns are cared for in special hospital wards where they seldom have contact with their mothers. While this protocol is meant to keep the babies safe, it prevents them from getting vital sensory inputs (mothers’ heartbeat, touch, and voice) and comfort from their mothers, which is essential for the brain's development.
This study demonstrated that exposing preterm infants to auditory enrichment therapies such as lullabies may help minimize the harmful effects of caring for preterms in neonatal critical care units.
Why Does Music Affect Sleep?
Hearing music depends on a sequence of processes translating sound waves entering the ear into electrical signals in the brain.
As the brain interprets these sounds, a cascade of physical reactions within the body is set off, directly encouraging sleep or lessening problems interfering with sleep.
Several studies show that music helps people sleep because it modulates some hormones, including the stress hormone cortisol.[5]
High amounts of cortisol and stress can make you more alert and make sleeping hard. Less cortisol is released when you listen to music, which may be why it helps people relax and calm down.
Additionally, listening to music improves sleep because it is soothing to the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is a natural mechanism in your body that controls automatic or unconscious activities like heart rate, digestion, and sleep.[6]
How to Incorporate Music into Your Baby's Sleep Routine
If you are finding it to comfort your agitated child or get them to sleep, music is a great option you could try. Here are a few suggestions when including music in your baby's sleep-promoting routine.
1) Make it a habit
You need to make playing lullabies a habit for your baby, not just something you do occasionally when you want them to calm down. This way, their body knows it's time to sleep when the music starts.
2) Be free to mix it up
Find songs you and your baby enjoy. If a pre-made playlist of lullabies doesn't work, try putting together a mix of songs you like.
3) Avoid headphones and earbuds
Headphones and earphones may cause damage to your child's ear canal. Also, they can cause earwax buildup, which increases the risk of ear infections. Instead, set up a small stereo or speaker near your baby's bed.
References
- van der Straaten, M., van den Hoogen, A., Tataranno, M.-L., van Berkel, C. J. M., Schmit, L., Jeekel, H., Hennink, A., Benders, M., & Dudink, J. (2024). Impact of daily music on comfort scores in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Research, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03586-6
- Harmat, L., Takács, J., & Bódizs, R. (2008). Music improves sleep quality in students. Journal of advanced nursing, 62(3), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04602.x
- Woythaler M. (2019). Neurodevelopmental outcomes of the late preterm infant. Seminars in fetal & neonatal medicine, 24(1), 54–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2018.10.002
- Behrman, R. E., Butler, A. S., & Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Understanding Premature Birth and Assuring Healthy Outcomes (Eds.). (2007). Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention. National Academies Press (US). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20669423/
- Koelsch, S., Fuermetz, J., Sack, U., Bauer, K., Hohenadel, M., Wiegel, M., Kaisers, U. X., & Heinke, W. (2011). Effects of Music Listening on Cortisol Levels and Propofol Consumption during Spinal Anesthesia. Frontiers in psychology, 2, 58. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00058
- Low, P. (2020, April). Merck Manual Consumer Version: Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System. https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/autonomic-nervous-system-disorders/overview-of-the-autonomic-nervous-system
