Podcasts, nature sounds and white noise can help you sleep and can reduce sleep quality, says expert
Podcasts and other technological advancements are beginning to be a part of the sleep schedule as the value of “sleeping industry” wakes up.
Neha Singhal, psychologist said, “Sleep inducing podcasts act as an helping hand. Meditation podcasts or nature sounds helps one get comfortable.”
Nirali said, “I used to feel extremely anxious and lost, mainly because of my examinations. Meditation podcasts helped me calm down and relieve my stress.”
According to research on the “Size of the Sleeping Industry”, the sleep market was valued at $432 billion in 2019. Whereas in 2021, it witnessed a 12.9 percent rise to $488 billion. It is estimated to grow by a 6.8 percent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) by 2025.
The sleep industry consists of various categories which includes pills, mattresses and bedding, apnea devices, sleep promoting applications and podcasts. The industry thrives on underlying conditions such as stress and breathing issues.
Sleep podcasts are of vital importance in my sleep schedule, said Abhinav Singh, a podcast user. He added, “After a long and tiring day, it gets very hard and difficult to collect my thoughts. Sleep podcasts help me in calming down. I usually have my earphones on as I am trying to sleep. Sometimes, I also fall asleep and realise in the middle of the night that my earphones are on as my ears would start hurting.”.
White noise reduces background noise as it contains frequencies of all kinds. It is often recommended to deal with sleep disorders. Sreya, a white noise user said, “It completely obstructs background noises and reduces disturbance. I listen to it for approximately three hours at night. It is very helpful as I live in a noisy neighborhood. Recently, I came across pink noise, which I feel is far more soothing.”
However, excessive exposure to white noise can cause restlessness. It can also reduce the quality of sleep, stated a study on white noise.
Veena, a spotify podcast user, said, “Relying on podcasts for calming my anxiety is affordable compared to therapy. The user friendly nature in choosing what you want to listen to, gives me an advantage.”
Health experts say that podcasts can’t be relied upon completely. Self medication can always take a wrong turn, said Dr. Nivedita, a psychologist. “Therapy is always the answer to stress and insomnia. Treatment is personalised according to the patient’s condition. Podcasts and other noises are generic for everyone. Using these is suppressing the problem rather than curing it. They can definitely be used as additional elements in treating stress related or sleep disorders but cannot be the cure for it.”
