What do I listen to to go to sleep?

[Shitshower]

I am not a relaxed person and I find it hard to switch off and sleep (like now, I’ve been in bed since 11pm, awake) I hear everything and I easily get into a cycle of not sleeping.

Anyway, I thought I’d try listening to stuff to get me off, but it doesn’t seem to work.
White noise is just irritating, brown noise works occasionally, ditto water sounds/fire/nature sounds.

But nothing seems to work very often. It might work twice then inexplicably instead of a noise being soothing it becomes noisy and it’s all I can hear if you get me?

So, what do people use? Are there podcasts that are meant to lull you off?

Because I don’t relax I listen too much, so if I used an audiobook I would start listening to the story and getting involved, I think I need something vaguely boring and droney that is designed to basically bore you to sleep.

The whole sleep thing is a big frustration to me, because I am tired and I want to sleep but nothing really helps.

Any suggestions for things I can listen to would be greatly appreciated

Documentaries on bbc sounds. The long and the short of it is good. It’s really interesting but they also have lovely accents and I just drift off. Or real dictators as Paul McGann is the narrator. I’ve had to listen quite a few times to get the whole programmes. I find it helps if I’ve already listened during the day so I know the content and then I don’t concentrate on it and not fall asleep.

Rain sounds, on an app (Rain Rain app)

Sleep magic podcast

Google “YouTube Nordland Night Train” and then go for the one from Calm. It’s narrated by a guy called Erik Braa and I find it sends me to sleep every time!

Nothing Much Happens

It's a series of sleep stories available on Audible (probably other places too). Very mundane stories which she reads twice. I set a timer for the end if the chapter so that it switches off. Each one is about 30 minutes and she starts each one with the same " instructions". I can never recall what the story was, so it's working for me.

Get Sleepy podcast

Youtube videos about stuff I have an interest in, but not so riveting that I’m concentrating too hard on the content that I can’t fall asleep. People playing video games, travel vlogs, background to Lord of the Rings lore usually.

I went through a phase of choosing videos of men doing tours of their vast Lego collections and I had to stop because I was getting so engrossed.

I use sleep stories (podcast ones) but I have the sound right down so all I hear is vague murmuring! Don't know why it works but it does

I use the headspace app and listen to the sleepcasts - the stories change each time you listen so it's never the same twice. usually works for me - currently awake as Im ill!

Following closely as I have the same issue, it’s awful.

Omnibus of series on radio 4 Extra. Currently listening to a first world war one and judging by the number of days I'm rewinding previous episodes it works well.

The music of Arvo Part and a tone poem called The Mermaid by Alexander von Zemlinsky are both restful.

Second this.

Worked a treat for me when I had sleep issues. She repeats it for a second time so even if you're listening when you know the story your brain switches off.

I third Nothing Much happens.
Start at the beginning, I prefer the earlier ones.
And it's available on the iPhone podcast app if you don't have audible.

Shipping Forecast works for me!

I listen to the same podcast series I've listened to hundreds of times so there's nothing new to hear and I always fall asleep. It's good enough that I enjoy it so I concentrate and stop thinking of other things, but because I've heard all the episodes so many times I just end up zoning out and falling asleep

The insight timer app has lots of free recordings including stories, background music or meditations. Must listen to it now!

I use sleep stories on the Calm app - I second the pp who mentioned Eric Braa, he has a very soothing voice! He has quite a few on the app. I also really like Chiké Ononkwo, Jerome Flynn and Nimmy March.

Ooooh i like this idea 😊

Does it have to be something on your device, perhaps that is why you can't switch off?

I have always read a book when in bed, I find it nice & relaxing and it makes my eyes tired. Usually I am away within a couple of minutes of putting the book down but if for some reason I find sleep doesn't come, I just pick it up again and read another chapter.

Agree with those saying bbc podcasts.
I always go to sleep within about 10 minutes of listening to ‘In Our Time.’ It’s not that it’s boring (far from it), it’s just people gently chatting about a long extinct turtle (or whatever) is just completely soporific.

The podcast Nothing Much Happens was life changing for me. The stories are designed to be full of detail and description but not interesting or exciting enough to have you gripped and needing to know more. Eg an innkeeper setting up for the new season or one of my faves is someone working in a bakery. Love love love them.

Listening to a book without a plot is the trick. I find Michael Palin and his travel books lull me off very easily. Try Round the World in Eighty Days.

Radio 4 In Our Time podcasts. Huge back catalogue of history, culture, science podcasts. I pick the history ones because I find them most boring!

I have an app on my phone called White Noise Deep Sleep which I listen to all night, can't sleep without it. I'm like you, I wake at the slightest noise and am very noise sensitive through the night and in my sleep. White noise is too high pitched and shrill for me, brown noise is too deep and mechanical sounding. There's a few different types on the app of "colour" noises so perhaps try some different ones and see what works for you? I find pink noise is the perfect pitch for me and now I'm conditioned to it so well it knocks me out within 10 mins.