“Listening to Music in This Healing Frequency Cured My Insomnia and Brain Fog”
Research shows music tuned to 432 Hz or "Verdi's A" can lower anxiety and help you fall asleep faster
Kimberly King was chatting with her sister when she suddenly remembered there was an important email she was supposed to send out. “I’ve got to find my phone,” Kimberly said nervously.
“Kimberly…it’s right there in your hand,” her sister pointed out, worry ringing in her voice.
Balancing her career as a children’s book author with parenting a special needs child, the 52-year-old often felt tired and a bit foggy. But since battling COVID in December of 2021, her once manageable fuzziness had become nearly debilitating, leading to losing items, forgetting where she was driving and fumbling through work tasks.
Ironically, even though she was constantly exhausted, Kimberly struggled to sleep through the night, waking up after an hour or two, then tossing and turning for hours, adding to her inability to focus during the day.
To her frustration, Kimberly’s doctor offered few suggestions beyond eating a healthy diet, managing stress and getting daily exercise. “I’ve tried them all—they don’t work!” she despaired.
Then, last year, Kimberly was chatting with her hairdresser about her brain fog and fatigue, and he suggested listening to music that’s composed at a frequency of 432 Hz to help her induce sleep. “I play this calming frequency music in my salon,” he revealed.
“No wonder I’m always so relaxed when I have my hair colored,” Kimberly said, ask her stylist shared several free sleep frequency channels on YouTube.
How does 432 Hz music benefit the brain?
Intrigued, Kimberly researched music frequencies and learned that many researchers agree that music tuned to 432 hertz has a significant calming effect on the brain. 432 Hz music, often called “Verdi’s A” after Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, is the frequency to which musicians used to tune the note “A” — up until the 1950s.
Nowadays, the A is tuned to 440 Hz. (So Verdi’s A is relatively close to the present-day A flat.) Why might this make a difference? Some musicians and scientists theorize that the flatter notes are less jarring and easier on the ears.
Some research suggests that 432 Hz music helps you fall asleep faster and remain asleep. A 2019 sleep study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, for example, found that it helped participants struggling with insomnia fall asleep more quickly.
And a 2020 study on music and cortisol in the Journal of Applied Oral Science found that listening to 432 Hz music lowered anxiety and cortisol levels in participants awaiting a tooth extraction. In contrast, 440 Hz music did not have the same calming effects.
Stress and anxiety raise cortisol levels, which, when high, can also cause brain fog. With this in mind, Kimberly was curious to see whether listening to 432 Hz music in bed would help her fall asleep, lowering her cortisol levels and easing her long-COVID brain fog.
How 432 Hz music healed Kimberly’s insomnia
Hopeful, Kimberly decided to give it a try. She turned off all notifications on her phone and searched for 432 Hz music for sleep on YouTube, then tuned in to a channel that plays sleep frequency music for 10 hours straight. (Her favorites: “Healing Sleep Music” and “The Best Sleep Music.”) She placed her phone on her dresser, hopped into bed and was soon lulled to sleep.
When Kimberly opened her eyes, she was stunned to see it was 6 am. She felt fully rested and more energized than she had in years. And that day, for the first time since having COVID more than a year earlier. In fact, Kimberly didn’t misplace anything, forget someone’s name or lose her train of thought.
And while she knows 432 Hz music won’t necessarily cure long COVID, it helped her fall asleep. And good sleep makes all the difference when it comes to healing and supporting healthy brain function.
Kimberly has been practicing music frequency therapy ever since. “I’m so happy to have found such an easy and pleasant fix — one that’s free and has no negative side effects,” she beams. “I feel great!”
Read on to boost your energy and sharpen focus:
Sleep No More? These Natural Insomnia Remedies Deliver the Zz’s You Need
The Superfood-Brain Fog Connection: Studies Show 6 Foods Help Clear Mind and Improve Focus
3 Tricks to Help You Beat Brain Fog
Top Experts Reveal the 12 Best Ways To Get Rid of Brain Fog Fast
For more healing journeys from real women:
“Two Simple Chair Yoga Moves Saved Me From Chronic Pain and Constant Falls!”
“This Home Remedy Cured My Overactive Bladder — And Gave Me My Life Back!”
“Mango Leaves Reversed My Memory Loss — And Now I’m Sharper Than Ever At Age 86!”
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
