We all have a little trouble sleeping sometimes.

We also all know that getting enough sleep is an important part of being a productive human being, so the stress is real when you’re staring at the clock at 3AM hoping that you’ll drift off back to sleep.

Instead of letting the panic set in as the minutes slowly tick by, why not try something a little different.

Perhaps you’ve tried the apps, but what about trying the podcasts?

Here’s Mashable:

Nowadays, falling asleep can feel like an unending nightly battle with our phones and always-on culture. Which is why the rise of podcasts designed to help you fall asleep is so unexpected, turning a big source of our insomnia (cellphones) into the tool we need to doze off.

The most famous one, Sleep With Me, blew up over the last few years, topping Apple’s podcast charts week after week. It’s success led to a whole cottage industry of podcasts for insomniacs. Whether you prefer bedtime stories, dreamy meditations, or ASMR brain tingles, there’s a pod for you.

Here’s our pick of the five best podcasts to fall asleep to:

When You Aren’t Going To Sleep No Matter What You Do

Criminal is without a doubt the best true-crime podcast out there.

Phoebe Judge’s Criminal finds unexpected and sometimes even delightful first-hand accounts of crime. She’s a compassionate but bold interviewer, always finding the heart in every wrongdoing.

In your quest to figure out how it ends, you could find yourself more awake than ever, but very entertained.

If You like A Little Supernatural Energy With Your History

LORE is one of the most calming podcasts on the internet despite it’s often spooky content.

From the first tinkling piano chords of this podcast’s intro music, you know you’re in good hands. Aaron Mahnke built a career around reviving and revisiting fables and legends, reminding listeners about the power of the oral storytelling tradition.

He also has a very soothing voice.

When You Just Need A Bedtime Story

Sleep With Me will lull you to sleep with a more traditional bedtime story.

The tried-and-true method, host Drew Ackerman tells nonsense stories with a droning cadence tailored to bore you into unconsciousness. Often, they’re grounded in current events, topics, and even TV shows (like Game of Thrones), he has a unique talent for making just about anything unfollowable.

It sure beats counting sheep.

When Things Don’t Feel Right With The World

If you’re struggling to sleep after a bit of heartbreak, listen to this to insert some magic back into the world.

With a similarly soft tenor to Roman Mars, Dylan Matthews immerses you in much stranger and unseen parts of our unknowable world. While most episodes are grounded in reality, each is a sumptuous soundscape of auditory hallucinations exploring the thin line between what’s real and imagined.

You’re guaranteed to have interesting dreams when you finally nod off.

If You Like To Meditate

This podcast is a library of sleep triggers and soothing sounds.

The episode above, for example, is the audio captured by putting headphones in a flowing river. The host does soft-spoken rambles too, though he sounds decidedly less engaged in what he’s saying.

You’ll drift off in no time.

You can find a longer list of sleep-inducing podcasts here.

Sweet dreams.

[source:mashable]