You have probably struggled with falling asleep at some point in your life. When you don’t sleep well, you may feel less happy or experience reduced cognitive speed, otherwise known as “brain fog.” Chronic sleep deficiency increases the risk for depression, high blood pressure and the development of various diseases. Having trouble falling asleep or poor sleep quality may stem from feelings of stress and anxiety, external stimuli such as noise, or a sleep routine that could use a little help. Any of these factors may affect your physical and mental health. Luckily, there are simple changes you can make to improve your sleep hygiene. One idea is listening to music as you fall asleep.

Sleep hygiene describes your healthy sleep habits—your sleep schedule and bedtime routine. If you fall asleep quickly and feel well-rested in the morning, you probably have good sleep hygiene. Music has been shown to be effective for improving your sleep hygiene. According to one study in young women, listening to music before taking a nap improved sleep. There are many anecdotal reports of music being a helpful tool to fall asleep, but you may wonder what the scientific reason is for this.

Music is an effective sleep aid because it can help lull you to sleep, encourages good sleep habits, supports a calming physical and mental state, and blocks distractions that may make it hard for you to drift off. Music helps you relax by modulating hormone levels.

There is a clear link between stress and poor sleep. Listening to music can reduce levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone. Putting on some tunes can trigger a release of dopamine, the hormone associated with pleasure and happiness. Dopamine can reduce your overall stress and improves sleep quality.

Bedtime may not be the right moment to listen to your favorite dance music, though. Relaxing music with a slower tempo soothes the nervous system, which makes you breathe more slowly and lowers your heart rate. Both of these things support sleep.

There are other reasons your sleep can be affected, such as if you have sleep apnea or other medical problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have chronic sleep issues. But the next time you are feeling restless or are counting sheep, try turning on some soothing music. It may put you in dreamland before you know it!