The sizzling, scintillating aroma of bacon – as delicious and tempting as it seems — isn't the only beneficial side effect of bacon-cooking anymore. As it turns out, the snap, crackle and popping sound works just like a lullaby, luring people to sleep with ease.
It was established after a YouTube video of bacon cooking posted by TexasHighDef — a channel dedicated to posting videos that can help people doze off for good — went viral. Previously, the smell of salt-cured pork was associated with waking people up in the morning, but this video proves that the sound of it can put people right back to sleep too.
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Ambient nature sounds like rain, thunder, wildlife noises and even sea waves can help people soothingly drift off to sleep. And now the crackling sound of bacon being cooked is to be added to the list!
Studies have shown nature sounds, like rain and thunder, can soothe people to sleep, but experts say the sound of bacon-cooking could have a similar effect. This primarily happens because of the tingling sensations and relaxing feelings it generates.
This sensation and feeling, also known as autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), even has its own category of videos that show people typing on keyboards, eating lettuce, and whispering gently to induce these tingles.
But their potential to put people to sleep is still up for debate as no significant amount of research on the subject has been done yet. "I think it depends on the person," certified sleep coach Chris Brantner shared with Daily Mail Online.
"I do see how it can work for some people. The consistent rushing and popping sound could calm some people," he added. Back in 2015, a study published in PeerJ revealed that a majority of the total 475 people surveyed claimed to seek out ASMR videos on YouTube to help drift off to sleep, and also get help to deal with stress.
And while listening to sounds to fall asleep isn't a new concept – the idea is that these induced sounds provide a consistent and even ambience to mask out the unwanted noise. It also helps prolong deep sleep in people, as per a research published in a 2016 issue of Neuron.
But in case of the bacon-cooking video's potential, Brantner believes it's the consistency of the "snap, crackle and pop sound" that is similar to those of nature, thereby helping induce sleep. But he also admitted that he associated bacon with waking up in the morning, so the sound of cooking it won't be able to help him sleep.
"The idea behind [sleep sounds] is that we interpret them as non-threats and that helps to calm people," he explained. "They help us calm down and reduce stress. If you're listening to something that is considered a calming sound, it can drown out the noises."
However, at the same time, a Harvard research established that light from smartphones have the same potential of reducing the production of the sleep hormone melatonin as sunlight does. So staring at the phone while listening to the bacon-cooking video might not be a wise idea!
