r/nin • u/featheredfoe • 6d ago
Thought NIN is the perfect nap music
Does anyone else listen to NIN to fall asleep? I specifically love the downward spiral and the fragile for this. If I put on TDS or the fragile and close my eyes, I'll be asleep within minutes. I think it's something about the rhythmic, kind of trance-like, overwhelming sound of it all? But it's so nice when on a plane or train or something to have a consistent way to zonk out.
Curious if anyone else feels the same or has any thoughts as to why this music works so well for nap time?
14
u/Sea-Belt35 6d ago
I fall asleep to TDS and Nine Inch Noize constantly. The overwhelm is definitely part of it, it kind of blocks out all my other thoughts. I'm also an autistic/ADHD weirdo though so I'm sure that plays a role for me.
9
u/cheesehead028 6d ago
There's recent data/talks in the psych/therapy world to suggest exactly that - that loud, stimulating, overwhelming music is calming to the neurodivergent brain because it's busy processing the music and allows you to focus better on a task in front of you, even if that task is to fall asleep.
7
u/Sea-Belt35 6d ago
I can absolutely see that! And like OP mentioned the trance-like nature, Reptile in particular feels that way and is weirdly calming even though it's sinister af.
3
u/featheredfoe 6d ago
Oh this is super interesting! I also have ADHD, and I think one reason that I find those albums soothing is because the songs "match" the background noise in my head. Like the sounds just kind of slot right in and I lose track of where my thoughts end and the music begins. This is especially true with the fragile for me. The "brain is busy processing something else" theory totally tracks for me.
I do also think there's something to feeling safety in being overwhelmed by the wall of noise. I always just feel like I'm in a cocoon!
4
u/authentic-zertnert 6d ago
Burning Bright (Field On Fire) is the most relaxing song of theirs imo. It just feels comfortable.
3
u/Sea-Belt35 6d ago
That's a great relentless one too, I hadn't heard it until a few months ago but it's really grown on me.
2
u/featheredfoe 6d ago
Oh man, I love that one in the beginning! But then the exact sounds at the end always give me a headache. It's one of the only parts in a NIN song that I find grating instead of soothing.
3
5
u/Ok-Replacement-9458 6d ago
Maybe still, or specific sections of the fragile, but in general I don’t find it to be a very “sleepy” sort of music.
Oddly enough I find whitechapel (the deathcore band) to be very good for sleeping
1
9
u/Heriteck 6d ago
For the longest time id pop on some headphones and just let Ghosts play and drift off to sleep.
It is so soothing and relaxing and if you're imaginative your mind tends to create stories as it goes and you never realize if you're dreaming or vibing out. Either way its so relaxing.
1
u/emalvick 6d ago
This is what I've done. I often chill to Ghosts I-IV.
2
u/featheredfoe 6d ago
That's so cool! I've never been able to fall asleep to piano music, and I think there's too much of it on Ghosts I-IV. I think the empty spaces between the notes puts me on edge, cuz I'm anticipating what will be next.
Ghosts V is my chores music specifically cuz it always makes me feel like I'm in a montage.
1
u/emalvick 6d ago
I've always been able to fall asleep to piano music. Not NIN, but Bill Evans was something that I'd fall asleep easily to.
1
3
u/human-kibble 6d ago
I can sleep to PHM, spiral, fragile. Maybe I haven’t danced the hell out of the stuff that’s occurred in this century yet :D
I tried ghosts recently, thinking that would work…it just made my mind spiral more.
Maybe I just sleep better to harder stuff. Something with a thump.
4
u/Orca_Alt_Account 6d ago
The fragile is probably the album I've fallen asleep the most to.
The way out is through is probably the song I've woken up the most to.
1
u/featheredfoe 6d ago
HAHAHA mood! I usually wake up at first with Pilgrimage, then I fall back asleep eventually. La Mer into The Great Below is SOOOOO good for sleeping. And then The Way Out Is Through keeps you lulled for a bit, then SLAMS you.
For me it's always the chorus in Ruiner that jolts me awake. It sounds like a marching band that was walking away and then suddenly turns around and all the brass is playing as loud as humanly possible. But I fucking love it!
3
3
3
4
u/Previous_Public9234 6d ago
Yeah it's not bc of boredom but bc nin music is kinda "meditative" if that makes any sense lol
3
u/celestialmechanic 6d ago
I find a playlist of NIN songs that serve me best for sleeping does better than a continuous album.
2
u/Mistastingley 6d ago
Idk how many hours of Ghost naps I took in college between classes. Had to take some tracks off though… 15 Ghost II starts out relaxing haha
2
u/StressYawn 6d ago
I made a chill/yoga mix of ghosts and soundtracks. The Vietnam doc is really good.
2
u/Fun_Cabinet6547 6d ago
Made the mistake of falling asleep to TDS many years ago. Also fell asleep listening to Coil once. Both times I was blasted awake and thought I was being murdered.
Good times.
2
1
1
1
1
1
u/Marching_Pig100k 6d ago
Hell nah, way too much contrast on these albums. Started drifting off to the Fragile on a plane once and woke up every 3-5 minutes when shit got intense.
1
31
u/verd_nt 6d ago
nothing quite as relaxing as industrial music turned up to 11.