The art of sleep: examining sleep strategies in the general population with a focus on the use of music for sleep

Insomnia is highly prevalent and associated with serious health issues. Despite the negative impact of poor sleep on mind and body, most people do not seek treatment. This study aimed to examine the strategies used to improve sleep in the general population with a particular focus on music. A survey was distributed via Facebook advertisements to Danish adults aged ≥18 years. Among 3667 responders, a representative subsample of 1195 participants was randomly selected based on age and sex. Data analysis involved chi-square tests and logistic regression with adjustments for age, sex, education, and insomnia status. The results showed that nearly all participants utilised strategies to aid their sleep, with the most common strategies being 'following a routine' (73%), 'reducing caffeine in the afternoon/evening' (65%) and 'lowering the temperature in the bedroom' (62%). Individuals with insomnia utilised significantly more strategies (average 8.4 strategies) compared to those without insomnia (average 6.6 strategies). Among all participants, 20% reported using music for sleep at least 1-2 times/month, whereas 11% used music for sleep weekly, and 4.5% used music almost daily. Music users tended to be younger, and they were also more likely to have insomnia. By evaluating 24 different sleep strategies, this study shows that people do several things to promote sleep in their daily lives. These findings enhance our understanding of sleep behaviour, providing an important fundament for targeting future public health interventions to reduce the use of sleep disruptive strategies and promote strategies known to improve sleep health.