Some people can fall asleep anywhere at anytime (like my partner.) Other people feel like falling asleep is a constant battle against the demons of anxiety, overthinking, and extreme sensitivity to surrounding stimulus. (It me.) Earlier this year, I wrote a piece that included some of the techniques I use to achieve sleep. They’re really helpful and a lot of folks reported back with improved sleep patterns. Great!
And now I have another one for you.
Not too long after that, we engaged in the incredibly stressful process of finding and buying a new home, going through the mortgage process, and moving over 3000 miles. Sleep became even more elusive than before for me. I really needed my brain to shut down without cycling through worries. I thought, “hmm, what if there was a way my brain could be engaged or otherwise distracted into calmness?” I knew there were audible tracks that had relaxing sounds to help with sleep, but I needed something that interrupted the brain talk. So I decided to search and see if there were podcasts for falling asleep.
And there were!
The one that really caught my eye was “Nothing Much Happens.” And I haven’t looked at any others, because this one worked so well! The stories are warm, delightful, and the voice is very soothing. Not only are the episodes effective for “sleep training for adults” but they also have little messages about taking time to enjoy the world and notice the details. Kathryn’s stories are carefully constructed to allow the mind to fill in the details so that you can really put yourself into the scene. To me, they also feel very witchy.
I especially squeed over the second episode she released in October called “Grandmother’s Grimoire“. (I may have bubbled to my partner, “I KNEW IT!”) It took me a while to finally hear the whole story because I kept falling asleep in the first few minutes. (LOL right? This podcast really works, but I wanted to hear the story!) “Fireflies on a Summer Night” is another episode that talks about finding magic in the every day. Another favorite episode is “First This, Then That.” There’s stories about bookstores, bakeries, neighborhood walks, being out in the woods, working in the garden, and more. Often with little bits of folklore sprinkled in.
So if you have issues getting your brain to shut up when it’s time for bed, give this podcast a try. Best case – you fall asleep. Worst case, you get to enjoy a calming story 🙂
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