Sleep Problems? These Podcasts Will Get You to Dreamland Faster Than Others

I usually sleep like a rock – but sometimes the environment is just too quiet for me to fall asleep. On such nights, I've relied on podcasts and audiobooks for years: they provide the perfect sound backdrop and help me quickly drift off to dreamland. I'm not alone in this: people around me also use podcasts, audio dramas, and audiobooks to fall asleep.

Falling Asleep with Wikipedia

I still remember how I discovered this podcast: I found it late at night under the search term "falling asleep podcast." The idea of combining falling asleep with listening to something about a random topic appealed to me.

Each episode features the host reading a Wikipedia article, with two episodes released per week. The duration varies between 15 and 30 minutes, which I find suitable. The podcast is produced by Schønlein Media – they have a whole battery of sleep podcasts. Here’s a selection: Falling Asleep with Hogwarts, Falling Asleep with Space, Falling Asleep with History.

What I don’t like: The podcast mentions that it is supported by artificial intelligence. However, it’s unclear how – the lack of transparency bothers me. At times, the episodes sound as if a monotone AI is speaking. The credits state that the podcast is "produced with the voice of Anne Zander." Overall, I take the longest to fall asleep with this podcast: I miss the personal touch. I've turned it off several times and fallen asleep shortly after.

Knowledge Under the Pillow – Smarter Sleep

A good alternative for me is the Audible original podcast: Knowledge Under the Pillow – Smarter Sleep. Each episode covers a topic, but it is narrated in a more engaging way than the stories from Falling Asleep with Wikipedia. I particularly enjoy the storytelling pauses; I can recommend the episode "Journey into the Beehive."

The general idea of the podcast is to take listeners on a journey – I like that. The concept of being mentally transported to places inaccessible to humans automatically sparks my imagination. Fortunately, the topics are selected and presented in a way that doesn’t give me nightmares: for example, there’s no mental journey into the insides of viruses or a stomach. There are two seasons in total, with the episodes narrated by actor Götz Otto. The season format has the downside that new episodes are not released weekly but all at once.

Need relaxation? These gadgets can help you:

I usually can’t say much about the content of the episodes: I fall asleep quickly with this podcast. It doesn’t quite live up to its name – I only hope that my subconscious absorbs all the information about bees, polar bears, or "red dwarfs in space."

Falling Asleep Podcast

I also enjoy listening to the Falling Asleep Podcast. It consists of read classics, complemented by personal thoughts on various topics from host Toby Baier. From my perspective, the podcast thrives on these thoughts. Goethe and Rilke are more like supporting characters.

Baier has a very calm voice. He does his job well. So far, I haven’t listened to a complete episode: I usually set the timer for 30 minutes, but when I tune in the next evening to find the spot I last remember, only about five minutes have usually passed. Thus, the episodes "last" quite a while. That’s good, as a new episode is only released every two weeks.

"Why not try the Three Investigators" – that doesn’t work

A non-representative survey among my friends showed that they rely on The Three Investigators for their bedtime ritual. What was a ritual in a sheltered childhood should work in adulthood too, right? Based on that assumption, I also tried Bibi Blocksberg – my favorite audio drama from childhood.

Maybe it’s because I never fell asleep with audio dramas, but both The Three Investigators and Bibi Blocksberg kept me awake. With Bibi Blocksberg, even the distinctive theme song is more suited as a wake-up tone than as sleep music. Skipping doesn’t help: overall, I find the voices too shrill. With The Three Investigators, it’s somewhat more pleasant, yet I notice that the excited storytelling is aimed at children.

My alternative was The Kangaroo Chronicles: The audiobook worked significantly better for me. But even then, unexpectedly loud kangaroos sometimes disrupt my sleep. Additionally, I find myself too interested in the story of audiobooks: those who listen attentively can’t fall asleep well. Therefore, they are not the optimal solution for me.

Secret Tip to Conclude

Finally, I have a secret tip if nothing else helps: Lanz & Precht. I fall asleep the fastest to this podcast. I can’t explain why – but it works.

In general, I believe that a podcast alone doesn’t help to unwind. A suitable evening routine is also essential. Not scrolling through TikTok and Instagram saves the eyes and mind; I only pick up my smartphone before sleeping to set the alarm and podcast (with timer). A dark environment and a comfortable room temperature (below 20 degrees) can also aid in falling asleep. However, what brings you to dreamland best can only be discovered by you.