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    A lullaby really can work magic. Science tells us why and how

    Sometimes the right lullaby sends my kids off to dreamland so fast it makes me feel like I have a parenting superpower. Turns out the wonder of lullabies is confirmed by scientific research.
    by Selena Simmons-Duffin Jun 02, 2023 4 minutes
    The reporter's kids, Sasha and Noa, both love falling asleep to lullabies. This is a sleeping self-portrait by Sasha, age 4. With great attention to detail, she has drawn the unicorns on her comforter.

    It's after dinner. We've cleaned up the dishes and our youngest daughter is already asleep. My spouse has brewed tea and is queuing up something for the grown-ups to watch.

    Standing (or rather lying) between me and sips of tea is my nearly 8-year-old. She's a little wound up from the school day. She tosses and turns, not quite ready to settle down.

    In moments like this, I have a secret weapon: lullabies.

    It's possible you're thinking: Of course an NPR reporter's secret weapon is Twinkle Twinkle. How very tote-bag.

    I have two things to back me up here: heaps of anecdotal stories and actual scientific evidence.

    First, an anecdote, in the form

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