5 Sleep Podcasts For a More Restful Sleep
Time for all of us to turn on, tune in, and nod off with these 5 sleep podcasts
Text: Shin Yee Koh
Make sure you and your loved ones are getting enough sleep (credit: Pexels)
Catch yourself counting sheep or staring at your bedroom ceiling every night? You’re not alone. Singaporeans are amongst the most sleep-deprived worldwide. In fact, Singapore is one of the top 3 most sleep-deprived out of the 43 cities profiled in a report published recently. From insomnia, to anxiety, there are a myriad of reason why we’re unable to get our sleep. Regardless of whatever reason that keeps you up at night, here are 5 sleep podcasts to help you get better sleep.
1. Immerse yourself in the expertly produced Nocturne Podcast
Nocturne is essay radio – a hybrid form of audio storytelling that blends elements of documentary, fiction and sound-art. Episodes are released monthly and topics range wildly, encompassing a unique and surprising exploration into the darkness – a surfer stranded in the Irish Sea; two young women on a road trip gone wrong; the plight of endangered newts. So if you struggle with idle thoughts distracting you from being able to properly fall asleep, try tuning in to Nocturne for an expertly produced podcast filled with interesting content to occupy your mind and distract you enough to be able to properly relax.
2. Drift off to rambling recaps with Game of Drones
Despite the Game of Thrones being so overwhelmingly popular, I remain, to this day, clueless about the overarching plot and characters. Game of Drones is the perfect solution to that. Presented by David Ackerman, it is a series of lengthy 90 minute recaps of each episode of ‘Game of Thrones’. Extremely rambling and lengthy in nature, it’s enough to engage you away from other thoughts but also boring enough to send you to sleep. Essentially, it cures your insomnia and lulls you to sleep through narrating every plot synopsis of each episode. Of course, since the show ended, Game of Drones has stopped producing new content as well, but there are plenty of episodes to keep you snoring away into the night.
3. Zone out and relax with Boring Books for Bedtime
Stressed, anxious, or struggling with insomnia? Boring Books for Bedtime welcomes anyone who struggles with endless brain chatter that keeps us up at night. In each episode, the producer calmly, quietly reads something capable of putting even the most attentive listener to sleep.
Personally, just ten minutes and I’m sent straight to sleep – it could have something to do with giving your active mind something to focus on so you can wind down, or maybe it’s the reminder of being stuck in a tedious, never-ending class that does the trick. Either way, if flatly narrated literary works by Aristotle, Emerson, Galileo aren’t enough to get you to drift off, then perhaps an informative manual on walk down a theatre aisle just might.
4. Tuck into bed with Goodnight World!
If you have any little ones or even a particular fondness for childhood classics, Goodnight World is just the sleep podcast for you. Each episode is around 20 minutes long and features different characters from the beloved television series, Sesame Street. Produced by Sesame Workshop and Headspace Studios, this podcast is aimed at helping children wind down and settle in for the night. Of course, there’s no reason why Big Bird and the Count’s soothing stories can’t guide both kids and adults through a spot of light meditation for better sleep.
5. Meditate with Deep Energy Podcast before bed
If listening to people talking isn’t your cup of tea, try getting your zen on by relaxing to an ambient soundtrack before bed. Many people have been resorting to pink noise for a more restful sleep for centuries without knowing, and studies have actually shown that it may promote deep sleep and help you get the rest you require. Pink noise can be found in nature - the sound of steady rain, rustlings leaves and ocean waves all create an even, consistent background noise that can block out annoying background noise without sounding harsh or shrill. Deep Energy Podcast offers such ambient sounds on Spotify accompanied by ethereal, new-age backdrops for different episodes.
Personally, I hate the sound of utter silence – it amplifies my fear of the dark and I’m left alone with my own thoughts, so sleep podcasts work wonders for me. Not everyone prefers listening to podcasts to wind down though, so if you struggle with insomnia or simply struggle to fall asleep quickly, quit tossing and turning – here are 5 tips on how to get the best night’s sleep.
Catch yourself counting sheep or staring at your bedroom ceiling every night? You’re not alone. Singaporeans are amongst the most sleep-deprived worldwide. In fact, Singapore is one of the top 3 most sleep-deprived out of the 43 cities profiled in a report published recently. From insomnia, to anxiety, there are a myriad of reason why we’re unable to get our sleep. Regardless of whatever reason that keeps you up at night, here are 5 sleep podcasts to help you get better sleep.
