Estrogen status influences music effects on sleep architecture

Introduction: There is a large agreement that the music has a neuromodulator effect. One of the most famous composers, Johann Sebastian Bach, dedicated a musical masterpiece (Goldberg Variations) for treating the insomnia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of music compared to placebo (isomorphic sounds) on human sleep in relation with estrogens. Subjects and methods: We made complete polisomnographic recordings in 9 adult females and divided them in three groups: 3 menstruating women, 6 menopausal women before any hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and 5 menopausal women after at least 2 weeks of estrogen treatment. They slept at least 2 nights, one with Bach's music and one with waves isomorphic sounds (placebo), at the beginning of the night (22.00) and three hours later. We used Bio-logic equipment together with Sleepscan II software. Results: Bach's music has a positive effect on sleep efficiency in estrogenized women and a negative one in untreated menopausal women. The latency of sleep onset is not influenced. Also Bach's music increases REM sleep duration in menstruating and menopausal women with HRT but show no effect in menopausal women without any therapy. Compensatory changes are registered for stages I and II. Conclusions: Music influences human sleep, exerting benefic effects only on estrogenized brains. This indicates that music is an exogenous neuromodulator and could be used as a no side-effect therapy for poor sleep.