I'm addicted to falling asleep listening to YouTube

[AnxiousFlowerpot]

This started about 5 years ago. I started watching YouTube on my tablet in bed before going to sleep. Now I can't not watch a video before falling asleep. I wake up multiple times in the night and have to listen to a video (I use earphones and don't look at the screen) otherwise I just lie there and my mind starts worrying about stuff. I usually listen to something like a documentary and fall asleep again. I can't seem to stop doing it. Wtf is wrong with me.

Me too, either YouTube, audiobooks or podcasts

Thank you for posting OP. I thought I was strangely weird. It's been since lockdown - YouTube, podcasts, Radio 4. I'm on my own so it's not disturbing anyone but - and I realise this is dumb - I didn't work out till now that it's about drowning out my circular thoughts and worries that keep me awake. I've been through a very sad family situation so maybe it helped me drown it out.

I don't particularly like sleeping with noise still running so I need to get better on setting the timer. But I appreciate the recommendations for R4 stories. Perfect!

I don’t see anything wrong with it. I’m stuck to podcasts, Spotify, YouTube night and day. Normally iPad and phone doing two different things. The only thing I don’t enjoy is tv. Rarely watch anything so always out of the loop. I also wonder how people have time to watch things- I secretly think they have so much time to sit about. Which makes no sense really as I’m online hours per day myself!

I am so relieved to find it's not just me! It started with Nicky Campbell on R1 in my teens when I was revising for my A levels and has ended up with Radio 4 (mostly In And Out The Kitchen with Myles Jupp) and more recently Google podcasts. I can't fall asleep in silence. I've also had a recent ADHD diagnosis - I have always suffered from overthinking and the only way to break the cycle is to have another voice in my ear.

I was also going to recommend the Nothing Much Happens bedtime story podcast. I'm going to download Insight Timer now.

Please could someone explain brown/white/pink etc noise? What's good for someone who has tinnitus and wakes in the night?

I listen to BBC podcasts repeatedly. At the moment I'm loving The Patch. My mum was the same, she listened to the radio through the night.

@constantreader Ally sounds right up my street! Thank you. I’m trying her out tonight