Songs are soothing and that's a fact. Years of countless of studies prove how music calms and its effects are most evident among babies.
Lullabies can send babies to a deep sleep but it's also effective as a soothing relief when they feel sick or restless. For instance, if babies are teething or suffering from a fever or stomach upset, music aids in their recovery. If babies have behavioral issues, music helps temper their anxieties, frustrations and discomfort.
Babies trained to soothe with music or lullabies learn to focus and relax, as per Washington Post. "It's like flipping the switch for the body; helping it know it's time to relax," New York sleep doctor Janet K. Kennedy said.
Parents have plenty of options on how they can introduce lullabies to their babies and it's always best to do it every night at bedtime as a sleep routine. Moms or dads can stream music from cloud devices or physically use a CD player or iPod.
Parents also have a myriad of selections of songs to play for their babies. From upbeat tempos to slow music, moms or dads can play classical and current songs depending on how the babies react. Experts, however, suggest parents should build a selection of songs or repertoire proven to work for their child as a matter of familiarization and recall to fortify the sleep routine.
Parents can also sing lullabies to their babies, which offers another benefit. A parent or caregiver singing to the baby is a form of communication, according to Education. It can help them discover speech and it can also encourage them to react by cooing.
"There's an ancient part of the brain in the limbic system which is responsible for the emotional responses to music," neurologist Tim Griffiths said, as per Telegraph. "What I think is happening here is that the emotional part of the brain is being stimulated by music, "Griffiths said, adding music levels off arousal in the body's cells that then reduces pain responses or discomfort.
