There are multiple factors for not being able to fall asleep at night time, from being too hot or cold, to your pillow being too plump or lumpy.
Of course, there are several techniques and old wives’ tales that you can try out to help you along your way, but what about falling asleep to the sound of voices? Podcasts might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re trying to sleep but we’ve found eight that are designed especially to help you have a rested sleep.
With World Sleep Day tomorrow, we’ve rounded up the best sleep podcasts to get you started. Forget counting sheep and listen to these eight podcasts designed with sleeping in mind to help you drift off.
8 sleep podcasts to help you drift off tonight
Sleep With Me
Kids have it so easy when it comes to bedtime stories. Every night they’ll be guided off into a dream-like state with their favourite bedtime story being gently told to them. Bedtime stories for adults? You can forget it. Until now that is. Sleep With Me is a podcast dedicated to the bedtime story, only they’re directed at grown-ups to help them fall into a dreamy state.
With over 1,000 episodes available to listen to, you’ll be sleeping blissfully in no time. Created and hosted by Drew Acherman, the stories stem from reading and film favourites including a fun take on Disney+’s The Mandalorian.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Get Sleepy
Another night, another story-telling podcast. This time it’s courtesy of Get Sleepy, the podcast designed to incorporate storytelling and meditation into one helping you to fall asleep without feeling stressed and uneasy.
The podcast is created with a team of writers, voice-over artists and meditation experts who have worked together carefully, alongside the guidance of leading sleep experts, to create a podcast with a great sleeping result. With a wealth of over 120 episodes, you’ll be able to tune in and out of your favourite stories until you fall asleep.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
I Can’t Sleep Podcast
Can’t sleep because your mind is racing? The ‘I Can’t Sleep Podcast’ will literally bore you to sleep. The podcast has been designed to help you relax your mind by filling it with information you just won’t care about. It’s really as simple as that.
With over 100 episodes, the topics range from boredom (literally) to aerospace engineering, plate tectonics to pets. Pick and choose the ones you’re least interested in and prepare yourself for a blissful night’s sleep.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Send Me To Sleep
Hosted by Andrew, the Send Me To Sleep podcast does exactly what it says on the tin. Whether you can’t seem to shut off your thoughts or the sheep counting isn’t quite hitting the nail on the head this time round, the podcast will do its best to guide you on your way to a good night’s sleep through everything from bedtime stories to sleep meditation. So if bedtime reading doesn’t do the job for you, maybe a spot of sleep meditation will.
Sign up to their newsletter and you’ll be the first to know about the new episodes, receive exclusive content and you’ll even be able to send in your request ideas.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Sleep ASMR
We’ve expressed our admiration for ASMR previously but it really does do the trick, especially in guiding you into a calming headspace.
Turn out the lights, pop your phone on aeroplane mode and ask Alexa to put on Sleep ASMR by Relax Rosie. There are several episodes to choose from depending on what works best for you, from fabric scratching to tapping, to even a few horror story sessions too. Give it a try and it might just work great for you.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Nothing Much Happens
Another great story-telling podcast is Nothing Much Happens. Let your mind wander as you listen to the softly spoken stories through your wireless speakers.
Hosted by Kathryn Nicolai, the Nothing Much Happens podcast is in its seventh season so there are plenty of stories to pick and choose from, and a new episode is released every fortnight too. For those who prefer a physical copy, Kathryn has also released a book version based on the popular podcast. It’s brimming with easy-to-read stories perfect for helping you on your way to a restful sleep.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Sleep Sounds by Nature
Sound meditation is another great sleeping technique that’s worth trying out. The Sleep Sounds by Nature podcast is filled with twelve episodes designed to help guide you on your way to a peaceful night’s sleep.
From listening to the soothing sound of rain pitter-pattering to a calming walk through a forest, there are 16 restful podcasts to listen to. Each episode is around two hours long too.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Snoozecast
Designed with the non-sleepers in mind, Snoozecast is another podcast that’s been created to help you fall asleep. Quit staring at your phone, popping on the TV or reading yourself to sleep, Snoozecast reads excerpts from public domain literature and a few original stories thrown in for good measure.
There’s a story for every genre, age and style, from fiction to children’s, non-fiction to folk-tales, plus a few poetry episodes too.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
still can’t sleep? check out these simple sleeping tips
