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

My niece used to listen to David Attenborough doing Blue Planet

Ok, this is going to sound utterly mad, but I listen to 'Real Survival Stories' on Apple Podcasts.

And often various True Crime podcasts

Sounds mad, I know. But it works for me.

I know it's highly frowned upon, but I put the TV on, a film I'm not particularly interested in, and I'm out like a light in under 10 mins. Currently, karate kid (Jackie Chan version) and Spy on Netflix. I've never seen either all the way through. The tv is set to turn off after an hour. Otherwise, I watch the clock go round. My brain goes into an internal monologue about every random embarrassing moment/ conversation or worry in 50 years.

Brown noise playlists can work for me!

I'll add that anything actually aimed at restful sleep - meditation, soundbaths, that music at certain wavelengths lengths, and coloured noise, hypnotherapy, beyond stories - ALL of it actually winds me up and often will result in
borderline panic attacks.

So, if you find the same, try true crime and people in really tricky situations where they barely make it out alive.

Or....movies/TV shows that are familiar and comforting.

Sleep mediations are the one for me. I'm the same as you OP, I struggle with noises and sleep stories I get too engaged with. The calm app has a few good sleep meditations (though I advise you stay away from any narrated by tamara levitt, her voice drives me crazy). There are some that get you to do breathing exercises that always help me doze off, and I used to be a chronic insomniac.

Various podcasts on YouTube with screen dimmed.

Favourites are:

Jason Stephenson - various guided sleep meditations, including for night wakening
Get Sleepy - lots of stories, histories, Greek myths, etc.
Waves or rainstorm sounds

I'm sensitive to particular voices so am quite selective

I have tried binaural beats with varying success (not least as I'm not keen on sleeping with earbuds).

Another vote for Headspace. I’m usually asleep before the ‘story’ starts.

I use ‘lights out library’ on Spotify. Various sleep stories about different topics. I find the woman’s voice soothing and enjoy the space stories. I suffer from anxiety and these work better than white noise for distraction

Kewas ASMR on Youtube.

The hair brushing ones are best. She has the most perfect, softly spoken, Eastern European accent Ive ever heard.

Another recommendation for the Calm app. I first downloaded it over Covid to help DS2 who has ADHD switch off to sleep as they were doing their paid for version for free. Now I listen to it every night.

I was going to suggest this.

I like listening to audio books that I have already read so im not concentrating on them too much but still get the jist of what's going on

I cant access this. It jumps to Youtube but blacks out and asks me to sign in to prove I'm not a bot ... but I'm already signed in.

Can you tell me the name of the clip or the channel?

I love that sleep story

If I had the money I would go back to the calm app as I loved most of those
Snooze with Sam podcast is pretty decent

Similarly ridiculous, I listen to the Audible sample on Amazon for The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep. I’m usually asleep by the time the Sleepy Snail…😴💤💤💤💤

I've been listening to thunderstorms and waves crashing. strangely soothing

Loads of my favourites have been mentioned but I've recently discovered BBC radio 3 does sleepy type music at night. Some are great and droney, others have too much plinky piano or harp which I find too startling when nodding off!

Try this. 9 hours long and almost guaranteed good nights sleep
mindfulnessexercises.com/417-hz-wipes-negative-energy/#t-1712682623057

Me too ! Although more like 15-30 minutes for me to kip off, but that's fast 4 me. The very difficult thing about insomnia is being very irritated by the boredom of it. So I can't go to sleep to something dull, I'll just get more pissed off, I need an interesting podcast to find the patience to wait for sleep.

This. Melvyn Braggs’ voice is guaranteed to send me to sleep, even though I often want to actually listen to the programme.

By far the best…

If anyone is wanting to try the stories on Headspace I have a 30 day guest pass. DM me if you want.

They Walk Among Us - true crime podcast with a really droney voice. The only thing I've ever found that sends me off. I know it shouldn't be a relaxing topic but it has been great for me.