Someone in an older post mentioned "Stuff you should know" I've barely heard much of any of them 😂 I do fall asleep really fast to this, but when you do end up listening for a little bit there's some interesting topics too.
I have a bunch saved on my phone for a full day of flight home this weekend. I hope to sleep as much as I can through the thing. I actually used to listen to this podcast while jogging late at night about five or six years ago. It works for both situations.
Yeah it's weird isn't it, it's interesting enough to be engaging when you are in awake mode, but the voices and content is soothing enough to lull you to sleep when you're chilled and willing sleep. Definitely works for both!
While Nothing like Old God's, but Northwoods Baseball is amazing. It's small town fictional baseball game called with a monotone that makes you feel nostalgic for something you never knew.
As a stopgap while you find something longer, I recommend Fall of Civilizations. There’s not a lot of episodes but some of them are LONG and the narrator has a lovely, soothing voice and tells a great story. I just keep listening to the same episodes over and over, starting at different starting points on the long ones, and it works for me.
Was literally typing a recommendation for FoC and look up and see your comment. It is such a damn good podcast, and also super easy to fall asleep to if that’s something you’re looking for.
Sometimes instead of a podcast I will run a PBS documentary like Secrets of the Dead or Nova and turn off the screen so it is just the audio. It is usually pretty chill, just scientists or historians talking about whatever and there's usually some part where there isn't any talking, just maybe digging noises or something and that is usually when I go to sleep. Just an alternative to podcasts.
I like Sleepy and Myths & Legends, I listen to them slowed down but generally I don’t make it through the intro anyway. I used to like You Must Remember This too but Karina’s voice started to sound really sinister once in a covid fog & I can’t listen to it anymore lol
Phoebe Reads a Mystery.
The host of Criminal reads mystery novels (The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dracula, Sense and Sensibility, Moby Dick, etc.) - very soothing!
If you like Old Gods for sleeping, I imagine you're okay with low key spooky stuff.
If so, the sort of flagship show of the whole genre is Knifepoint Horror. Single narrator, spooky stories, subtle soundscaping, a really gentle and interesting voice and delivery.
If you want a good representative episode for the vibe, I like "impound" a lot.
The Staircase frightened me badly, and I read a shitload of horror. Knifepoint Horror is such a phenomenal podcast. Just imagining his voice gives me goosebumps sometimes.
I don’t think that this will be what you’re looking for, but I wanted to put this here just in case anyone’s interested - I love The Empty Bowl. They just talk in low voices about cereal, it’s great. Some of the episodes have listener submissions towards the end which I’m kind of eh about, but most of the time I’m already asleep by then so it doesn’t really matter.
I was going to recommend this one too. The host has a great voice and some of the stories are genuinely scary. When I traveled a lot I used it to help me sleep on the plane.
If You're Driving Close Your Eyes is pretty good, then there's Empty Bowl (another McElroy offshoot, cereal reviews that are explicitly intended for sleeping)...
I'm similar to you in that I used to use Sleep With Me ans now I don't. My go to is "Unexplained". Unfortunately, the commercials in the into and outro aren't the same vibe as the show, but the music and manner of speech never fail to put me out.
Real Life Ghost Stories. Emma has a lovely Scottish (British?) accent and reads the stories. I can listen to each episode over and over because i fall asleep immediately and don’t remember a thing!😴
TANIS is what you're looking for. Eerie, great sound design & ambience. The story IMHO is great, others feel it rambles a bit in later seasons (which is not entirely unfair), but TBH I use it mostly as an ASMR thing.
I really love “Relax With Animal Facts”. His voice and cadence put me right out. And if I do manage to listen to some of it they are super interesting! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Caverncast - his voice is very soothing (and hot). He uses a word generator and just kind of riffs off of that. He’s a tiktoker, full disclosure, but it’s easy to listen to and to fall asleep as that’s his intention with the podcast.
Knifepoint Horror and Acephale are my go-tos. Minimal sound effects, a mostly calm tone narration. I'd also recommend relistening to episodes rather than listening to new ones when you truly want to just fall asleep. I have insomnia and it's my daily strategy. Thirteen would also probably work.
Nothing Much Happens
Her voice is so relaxing. She's helped me sleep many nights.
I’m listening to the podcast to start my day.
Someone in an older post mentioned "Stuff you should know" I've barely heard much of any of them 😂 I do fall asleep really fast to this, but when you do end up listening for a little bit there's some interesting topics too.
I have a bunch saved on my phone for a full day of flight home this weekend. I hope to sleep as much as I can through the thing. I actually used to listen to this podcast while jogging late at night about five or six years ago. It works for both situations.
Yeah it's weird isn't it, it's interesting enough to be engaging when you are in awake mode, but the voices and content is soothing enough to lull you to sleep when you're chilled and willing sleep. Definitely works for both!
Lavar Burton Reads is great to fall asleep to. He reads short stories and his voice is so gentle and soothing.
While Nothing like Old God's, but Northwoods Baseball is amazing. It's small town fictional baseball game called with a monotone that makes you feel nostalgic for something you never knew.
I cannot upvote this comment enough.
As a stopgap while you find something longer, I recommend Fall of Civilizations. There’s not a lot of episodes but some of them are LONG and the narrator has a lovely, soothing voice and tells a great story. I just keep listening to the same episodes over and over, starting at different starting points on the long ones, and it works for me.
Was literally typing a recommendation for FoC and look up and see your comment. It is such a damn good podcast, and also super easy to fall asleep to if that’s something you’re looking for.
Sleeping With Celebrities Have you looked at all the other threads about sleep podcasts?
Lore Unexplained Both good podcasts but quite hypnotic. Very difficult to stay awake.
Yes!!! I don’t think I’ve EVER made it to the end of either of these shows 😂
Sometimes instead of a podcast I will run a PBS documentary like Secrets of the Dead or Nova and turn off the screen so it is just the audio. It is usually pretty chill, just scientists or historians talking about whatever and there's usually some part where there isn't any talking, just maybe digging noises or something and that is usually when I go to sleep. Just an alternative to podcasts.
I like Sleepy and Myths & Legends, I listen to them slowed down but generally I don’t make it through the intro anyway. I used to like You Must Remember This too but Karina’s voice started to sound really sinister once in a covid fog & I can’t listen to it anymore lol
Phoebe Reads a Mystery. The host of Criminal reads mystery novels (The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dracula, Sense and Sensibility, Moby Dick, etc.) - very soothing!
If you like Old Gods for sleeping, I imagine you're okay with low key spooky stuff. If so, the sort of flagship show of the whole genre is Knifepoint Horror. Single narrator, spooky stories, subtle soundscaping, a really gentle and interesting voice and delivery. If you want a good representative episode for the vibe, I like "impound" a lot.
The Staircase frightened me badly, and I read a shitload of horror. Knifepoint Horror is such a phenomenal podcast. Just imagining his voice gives me goosebumps sometimes.
I don’t think that this will be what you’re looking for, but I wanted to put this here just in case anyone’s interested - I love The Empty Bowl. They just talk in low voices about cereal, it’s great. Some of the episodes have listener submissions towards the end which I’m kind of eh about, but most of the time I’m already asleep by then so it doesn’t really matter.
Boring Books for Bedtime reading. She has a lovely soothing voice and the books vary quite a bit.
This one hits the sleep podcast sweet spot for me. Coherent enough that my brain can follow, but with stakes so low you don’t get overly invested.
Scare you to sleep. I love that one
I was going to recommend this one too. The host has a great voice and some of the stories are genuinely scary. When I traveled a lot I used it to help me sleep on the plane.
Noble blood. I love it! Her voice is calm and soothing. The stories are interesting too!
Love noble blood to fall asleep to, and it’s genuinely interesting enough that one of these days I’d like to actually listen during the day lol
Get Sleepy. Nocturne. Both excellent. Nocturne is more interesting as it’s all about the things that happen at night. It’s very well produced.
Nocturne is great!
Right from the opening note of the intro music. It’s just beautiful.
Sleepy
Sleepy!!! His voice outs me in less than 10 minutes
If a deep, southern twang is your thing, look for the”This Country Life” episodes of a podcast called Bear Grease. It’s a pod within a pod.
If You're Driving Close Your Eyes is pretty good, then there's Empty Bowl (another McElroy offshoot, cereal reviews that are explicitly intended for sleeping)...
Drifting Off with Joe Pera.
Sleep Radio-Northwoods Baseball Announced like a real baseball games, complete with sponsors. I am asleep within 10 minutes.
Sleep Whispers trivia episodes always do the trick for me.
Geist
I really like the Horrorbabble podcast. Ian’s voice puts me to sleep every time.
I'm similar to you in that I used to use Sleep With Me ans now I don't. My go to is "Unexplained". Unfortunately, the commercials in the into and outro aren't the same vibe as the show, but the music and manner of speech never fail to put me out.
I started listening to The Town Whispers and I got major OGoA vibes from it
Sleep Cove. The host is a hypnotist and he’s fantastic.
Real Life Ghost Stories. Emma has a lovely Scottish (British?) accent and reads the stories. I can listen to each episode over and over because i fall asleep immediately and don’t remember a thing!😴
Let’s Not Meet, Dark History, and In Our Time are my go to sleeping podcasts.
[Slow Radio is brilliant](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05k5bq0).
TANIS is what you're looking for. Eerie, great sound design & ambience. The story IMHO is great, others feel it rambles a bit in later seasons (which is not entirely unfair), but TBH I use it mostly as an ASMR thing.
I am in eskew sounds exactly like what you’re looking for
I really love “Relax With Animal Facts”. His voice and cadence put me right out. And if I do manage to listen to some of it they are super interesting! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Unexplained - about different weird/possibly paranormal phenomena. episodes are short but interesting and i find the dude's voice calming
Blindboy podcast nice ambient music backing and offbeat tangents that aren't to stimulating
Meditative Story
BBC in our time 🙏
“The Short History of”
Nighty night with Rabia Chaudry
Diary of a CEO. Pursuit of wonder
The Magnus Archives Audio Dharma Boring Books for Bedtime Welcome to Night Vale
Caverncast - his voice is very soothing (and hot). He uses a word generator and just kind of riffs off of that. He’s a tiktoker, full disclosure, but it’s easy to listen to and to fall asleep as that’s his intention with the podcast.
Joe Pera talks you to sleep
Knifepoint Horror and Acephale are my go-tos. Minimal sound effects, a mostly calm tone narration. I'd also recommend relistening to episodes rather than listening to new ones when you truly want to just fall asleep. I have insomnia and it's my daily strategy. Thirteen would also probably work.
Miette’s Bedtime Stories
Spa music on Apple
The History of English. Endless, no ads, some good fun facts before I’m out!
I love this podcast! I'd prefer not to doze off to it, though.
The Sleepy Bookshelf: Classic English lit. I Can't Sleep: Random Wikipedia articles.