When we lay our heads down at night, we struggle over the choices. Do we read to get our eyes tired? Or do we fall asleep to one of our favorite movies? Are we trying to get our kids out of the habit, so we just put on some music? Well, we say, how about a podcast?
A podcast is a wonderful way to turn out the light and have a soothing voice send you off to dreamland. So we are rounding up the best podcasts to help you close those eyes and get to sleep at night.
Why Listen To a Podcast?
Well, for one, it’s better for our eyes than tv shows or movies. We don’t have to stay up late to see the action.
Instead, sleep podcasts put us in a trance of sorts to make easing into sleep a breeze. A bedtime story podcast and/or meditation podcasts guide our brains to get to sleep faster and get our full night’s rest.
We all know that we could all use a better sleep aid than television blaring repeats of home design shows. Even white noises condition our brains to rely on them for sound sleep over time. So instead of becoming dependent on machines, let’s create a better nighttime routine for ourselves and our kiddos.
Wrapping It Up
So that’s our goal today. To bring you the best sleep podcasts that will help you get the full eight you need to be your best self the next day. Our sleep habits are affected by so many daily occurrences. Why not take your brain in the right direction?
We want to break it down into categories, we know that not every podcast is for everyone. Then we’ve got a category just for the littles in the house. Why should grown-ups have all the fun?
Most of these come with new episodes weekly, and all can be found on Spotify or Apple podcasts. Good night!
Grab the popcorn; let’s get started.
First, Let Us Help You
Before laying down your heads and tuning in your ears, let us help you get the best sleep possible. These podcasts are designed to help even the most extreme of insomniacs find peace at night, but we can do you one better.
Add our SleepyPatch to your nighttime routine to get to sleep fast and stay that way all night. The blend of all-natural essential oils is the perfect recipe to guide your brain into the calm state it needs for sleep.
These are oils that are proven to aid us in getting better shut-eye as they’ve been used for thousands of years for this very reason. The best part? The kids also use them, but they go on clothes, not on skin.
No more adding lotions and oils to your kids’ bodies, just to have them wipe them off as soon as you turn around. These patches will stay on clothes all night and keep them asleep until morning.
Sleep Stories
The first category is all about bedtime story podcasts. Some are thrillers, short thrillers, mind you, and others are boring. Intentionally boring.
Sleep With Me
Sleep with Me by Drew Ackerman or “Scooter” is an hour-long episode filled with boring bedtime stories. These stories might start off with an interesting tone but are filled with tangents and side notes that don’t stay on track.
Between these and his soothing voice, you’re meant to get lost in the story. Chill as your problems drift away and your mind eases into sleep.
Get Sleepy
Get Sleepy is a compilation of writers, voice-over actors, and sound designers bringing you 30-40 minute episodes of soothing stories. These stories are started with breathing and sleep meditation techniques.
They’re designed to get you calm and in the right mindset to drift off to sleep. This, combined with soothing voices and calming stories, should do the trick.
Nothing Much Happens
Meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai brings you simple tales in this podcast, where literally nothing happens. They’re short, calming stories combined with guided meditation techniques to help build better sleep habits.
Sleepy
Host Otis Gray mixes his deep voice with a Southern drawl to give us new retellings of some of our favorite bedtime stories. Sleepy is a top nostalgia podcast for those of us that have fond memories of books before bed.
On a Dark, Cold Night
Horror lover with a touch of insomnia? This is the best that sleep podcasts can offer you. Host Kristen Zaza brings you a new ghost story every week that lasts about 30 minutes. The tales are chilling and mind-bending, but her raspy, deep voice is a recipe for sleep.
The New Yorker
The New Yorker brings their podcast Fiction to the table, and it’s a must-listen. Great writers are invited weekly to discuss short stories from past issues in 30-minute segments. It’s wonderful to listen to during the day, but makes for an interesting nightly listen before heading off to sleep.
Boring Books For Bedtime
This is a compilation of boring stories to ease you into a deep sleep. It consists of 30-minute stories put up weekly and designed to calm the mind. Their website claims these episodes are perfect for the “sleepless, stressed, anxious and insomniacs” of the world.
You Must Remember This
This is a fantastic podcast for those who like to hear stories of days past. Host Karina Longworth goes all the way down the rabbit hole of Hollywood’s history. She talks legends, stories you know, and some you never knew.
Game of Drones
Another great podcast from the mind of Drew Ackerman. This podcast does recaps of Game of Thrones episodes, with facts and tidbits added from the books.
The series might be over, but that should help us feel better about sleeping through the facts. Plus, one listen to the soothing sounds of Ackerman, you’ll be hooked to how easy sleep comes.
ASMR
ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, is that tingling sensation we get that starts at the nape of our neck and travels down our spine. It happens when someone draws on our back, like when we were kids or when we hear soothing music and sounds.
A whole world of podcasts utilize this effect, but here are our favorites:
Slow Radio
This is the brainchild of BBC Radio 3. Slow Radio is all about 30-minute episodes of soothing sounds, music, and ambient noise. You’ll hear soundscapes from all corners of the Earth, from winds to birds.
Sleep Whispers
Host Harris whispers his way through fun facts, history lessons, and cooking recipes. He does all of this with one goal in mind: soothe your thoughts and take you into dreamland.
By his own admission, the podcast is full of “whispered readings and ramblings” that will soothe you down to your core. It’s the perfect use of ASMR techniques for sleep.
Sleep Meditation Podcast
The name might confuse you, but this podcast is all about 30-60 minute episodes of soothing sounds.
Best part? There are so many options for sounds you’ll never run out of your favorite choices. Whether you like the sound of rain or heavy winds, the possibilities are endless.
Sleep Meditation/Mental Health
If you need a little more nudge to dreamland, meditation podcasts are the way to go.
Here’s a list of some of the best from real professionals.
Stories From the Borders of Sleep
This podcast is a piece of a series of projects from former mental health nurse Seymour Jacklin. This project was created to be a tool for people to live happier and healthier lifestyles.
Tracks To Relax
This podcast is a team effort of over 250 episodes guaranteed to help you relax and drift off to sleep. They have actual meditation episodes to choose from and bedtime stories, sleep sounds, and episodes on self-care.
For the Couples
The point is to sleep, people! But we have a great list for those couples that would enjoy falling asleep together.
Story Not Story
This is a podcast intended for couples to listen to while cuddling. Sweet, but also helpful. It’s a way to get on the same page before bed and fall asleep naturally together. This is bonding at its absolute finest.
Kid Zone
We promised some perfect podcasts for the kids, and we intend to deliver them.
Here are a few top picks for the littles in your life:
Be Calm on Ahway Island
This is a lovely podcast for kids three to 13. It’s storytelling at its best, done in a soothing voice. You’ll be able to enjoy storytime with your kids and watch them slowly fall asleep. It’s really one of the best parts of parenting, no?
Bedtime Explorers
This is a fantastic podcast for tiny imaginations. Kids two to ten can really get in on the fun from the Australian-based crew. The stories are fun, creative, and come with their own soundtracks. — the perfect recipe for pleasant dreams.
Bedtime History
This is an ideal podcast for the whole family. It’s geared towards older kids, nine through teens, but is so cool; the whole family will love it. The podcast features weekly episodes full of anecdotes about history, told in imaginative and soothing ways.
Pajama Party
While these podcasts sound like a lot of fun, and no doubt they are, there’s one thing they all have in common. They’re all designed to give you a clearer, more relaxed mind before falling asleep. We have no doubt that adding any one of these podcasts to your nightly routine will make you feel better every morning.
A good day can’t start a proper amount of sleep before it, so get started.
Sources:
8 Best Podcasts To Help You Sleep Better | The Soothe
18 great podcasts and apps to help kids fall asleep | Reviewed
How Much Sleep Do I Need? | CDC
ASMR, explained: why YouTube videos of people whispering are so popular | Vox
