It’s no secret that many college students struggle with getting enough sleep. Caffeine, insomnia, anxiety, and unregulated sleep schedules can make it difficult to fall asleep. After struggling to fall asleep, sometimes even for hours, I embarked on a journey to find sleep-inducing podcasts. Here are the ones I recommend:
For Naps – “LeVar Burton Reads”
You may remember LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow. He recently began a podcast, in which he reads some of his favorite fiction stories. These stories are interesting, but not too stimulating, which makes them perfect for naps. Another great thing about this podcast is that the lengths vary from thirty minutes to an hour, which allows you to choose the episode in accordance with your nap schedule.
For History Lovers and Learners – “Presidential”
Lillian Cunningham, an editor for The Washington Post, set out to learn more about every President of the United States. Each episode explores a specific president, containing interviews with historians, editors, biographers, and occasionally even presidential relatives. In some episodes, Cunningham mainly discusses the president’s time in the White House, while in others she details the president’s upbringing, personality traits, relationships, and hobbies. Overall, Cunningham’s modulated voice and the often-lulling voices of the historians can help send listeners to sleep while they learn.
For Fiction Lovers – “The New Yorker: Fiction”
In this podcast, authors read and discuss fiction short stories by their favorite authors. Most authors have soothing voices, which allows listers to enjoy the story without being disturbed and distracted. One thing I appreciate about this podcast is that the beginning of each episode gives a sample of the author reading the story, which allows me to decide if the reader’s voice is just boring enough. The stories are diverse and interesting, so the podcast doesn’t feel like a routine.
For True Insomniacs – “Sleep With Me”
When the podcast’s tagline is “The podcast that puts you to sleep,” it must be designed for insomniacs. The host, or “Dearest Scooter,” performed by Drew Ackerman, has one of the most lulling voices I have ever heard. Imagine the most boring professor you’ve ever had. Tired yet? You will be after listening to this podcast. My favorite episodes are the “Breaking Bad Sleep With Language Learning” episodes, in which Ackerman watches Breaking Bad in Spanish and details what is happening.