Nothing Much Happens: Bedtime Stories to Help You Sleep

Kathryn Nicolai is a yoga and meditation teacher who writes original short stories specifically designed to put you to sleep, and over 180 million streams suggest she's figured out how to do it. Each episode starts with a brief guided breathing exercise, then Nicolai reads a short story about quiet, pleasant scenes: walking through a farmers market, watching snow fall from a cabin window, tending a garden. Nothing dramatic happens. That's the entire point. She reads each story twice in the same episode, the second time at a slower pace, so if you're still awake after the first pass, the repeat catches you on the way down. The writing is precise and sensory, full of specific textures and temperatures and small details that give your imagination something gentle to hold onto. With 533 episodes and a 4.7-star rating from nearly 10,000 reviews, this show has built a devoted following. Nicolai also published a bestselling book based on the podcast, now translated into over 20 languages. Episodes come out twice a week. A premium subscription at $4.99 a month removes ads and unlocks exclusive stories. The show works particularly well for people whose insomnia comes from an overactive mind rather than physical discomfort, because the stories give your brain a soft place to land instead of your to-do list.