Music shows promise for sleep while many wellness apps lack strong proof

Music, white noise and bedtime stories are often promoted as easier ways to help people sleep better. Many of these tools are found in popular sleep apps and are marketed as low-risk wellness products. However, research shows that the evidence behind these methods vary, and that difference matters for health plans, health systems and employers.

In a recent conversation with Managed Healthcare Executive Jessica Vazzaz, a doctoral researcher and tutor in psychology at the University of Sussex discussed findings from her research published in the journal Sleep in November. The analysis reviewed studies on sound-based sleep tools, including music, color noise and spoken content.

Vazzaz told MHE that music had the strongest overall evidence for improving sleep. However, she noted that not all evidence is equal. For example. white and pink noise have been studied more than bedtime stories, but many of those studies were rated as low quality. Bedtime stories also had very little research when used alone just before sleep.

Related: Music-based sleep aids show the strongest evidence for improving sleep

Part of the difference comes down to how these sounds work. According to WebMD, white noise includes all sound frequencies played at the same level creating a steady static-like sound similar to a fan or air conditioner. Pink noise is also a steady background sound but uses deeper, lower-frequency tones that many people find gentler, such as rainfall, wind or ocean waves.

Both types of noise are designed to block sudden sounds which may explain why they can be helpful in noisy environments such as hospitals or intensive care units.

Music and other audio tools including mindfulness or bedtime stories likely work in different ways. They can help people relax or reduce mental distractions, but researchers still don’t fully understand how or why they work. Due to the uncertainty, Vazzaz said it may be best to offer these tools as a group rather than picking just one option, adding that what helps one person sleep may not help another.

The discussion also raised concerns about sleep apps being labeled as wellness products instead of health tools. While these apps are unlikely to cause direct harm, treating them casually can still create issues.

“I think the reality is that a lot of these wellness apps don't have any evidence whatsoever (on their) efficacy or their safety, and this can cause some direct and indirect problems to the user,” Vazzaz said.

She added that for managed care leaders this raises important questions. Apps without evidence could waste time and money, delay access to proven insomnia treatments and reduce trust in digital health tools overall.