6 Intentionally Boring Podcasts That Help You Fall Asleep Fast

Unsplash/Sai Kiran Anagani

If sleep doesn’t come easily to you, you’re not alone. According to the American Sleep Association, insomnia is the most common specific sleep disorder in the United States. Approximately 30 percent of adults report short-term issues, while 10 percent suffer from chronic insomnia. But certain podcasts can be surprisingly helpful in alleviating this feeling of restlessness, particularly those designed to be just boring enough to calm you down from head to toe. Using a variety of methodologies, below are six of the best sleep podcasts for racing minds who are determined to beat insomnia for good.

1. Sleep Whispers

If you’re someone who’s plagued with “monkey mind” right as you lie down to go to sleep at night, this podcast was literally designed for you. The narrator of “Sleep Whispers” also struggles with quieting his mental chatter when it comes time to rest, so he created this podcast as his antitode. He tells stories that are interesting enough to keep your brain focused on a singular topic, but not so engaging that you end up overstimulating your mind. The result: ramblings in a whispered, soothing voice that lead to true relaxation.

2. Tracks to Relax

This wonderful collection of guided sleep meditations works well for novice and advanced meditators alike. Each episode is filled with positive thoughts, sounds and suggestions that help to reduce stress, create a positive mindset and make you feel good as you drift off. You probably won’t notice when you fall asleep, but over time, you could end up staying asleep for longer periods of time and even wake up still feeling good from those optimistic messages you took in as you began to doze.

3. Sleep With Me: A Sleep-Inducing Podcast

Most folks know about this podcast by now — and for good reason. Commonly referred to as the bedtime story podcast for grown-ups, “Sleep With Me” was created (and is hosted) by Drew Ackerman and has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker and more. Ackerman suffered from insomnia as a child and the only thing that helped him fall asleep was late-night comedy radio. That influence is clear in this unique storytelling podcast where he shares unique bedtime tales that are oddly soothing when all you want to do is go the f*ck to sleep but your body just won’t seem to cooperate.

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4. Sleep and Relax ASMR

This podcast is all about sharing sounds that evoke ASMR (an autonomous sensory meridian response), that static-like or tingling sensation you sometimes experience on your skin that starts on your scalp and moves its way down your body. It can be a wildly soothing physical experience, and for many people, particular sounds like whispers can trigger that kind of automatic relaxation. The team behind this podcast creation upload a new episode every week, which is full of calming background noises designed to help you fall into a deep state of total relaxation. So grab your favorite blanket and get ready to snooze.

5. Classical Music Discoveries

If storytelling and ASMR vibes really aren’t your thing, take it back to the old-school, vintage radio days and try out some classical music instead. This podcast is literally just a collection of classical music tunes that are destined to help you fall asleep and say sleep. (Science is on your side here.) Plus, a new episode is typically released every other day, lasting anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, so you’ll have plenty of listening material to make every night a good night.

6. The Daily Meditation Podcast

Get ready to boost your mental health with this one. Meditation coach Mary Meckley uploads new content every day as she answers listeners’ questions and guides her following along the journey of establishing a daily meditation ritual. She changes the theme each week to keep your meditation practice dynamic (think self-love and letting go of negative thoughts), but she doesn’t make the change overstimulating. This podcast is especially helpful for those struggling with a lot of stress and anxiety in their daily lives.

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