Do you often suffer from insomnia? Then a ‘sleep podcast’ promises to provide relief, a new genre that is becoming increasingly popular. But does it really work? Sleep expert Annelies Smolders takes a closer look at the trend: “We can say the same about remedies such as sleeping tea, a special pillow, meditation or sleep courses.”
From an audio book to meditation or soothing music: there are countless remedies that can help you fall asleep faster. Fortunately, because about one in three Belgians suffers from sleeping problems. Today there is now a new solution on the market: the sleep podcast. For example, listen to ‘Nothing Much Happens’, ‘Sleep with Me’ or ‘Boring Books for Bedtime’.
Perfect for some, dangerous for others: “Your need for control increases”
“In itself, such a podcast means that you are read a story. Comparable to the bedtime story you got as a child,” says sleep expert Annelies Smolders of Start To Sleep. “It is a method to distract you from the busyness in your head that has accumulated throughout the day. During such a podcast you only focus on one thing, the story, and this way your brain can relax. And then gradually become sleepy. It is best to experience this about one to two hours before going to sleep.”
Such podcasts create high expectations, but this often has a very adverse effect on sleep
Annelies Smolders, Sleep expert
However, you should not see sleep podcasts as the solution for your insomnia, says Smolders. “You are the creator of your sleep, not some drug. Such podcasts create high expectations because they promise that listening to them will help you sleep better. But this often has a very adverse effect on your sleep.”
“This also applies to remedies such as sleeping tea, a special pillow, meditation, sleep courses or lullabies. Poor sleepers are often very obsessive in their search for such solutions. But halfway through a sleep podcast they quickly start thinking: ‘I don’t feel anything yet.’ This increases the need for control even more. While sleep comes when you are not so busy with it.”
This might work better: “You don’t force your sleep”
Not everyone is served by a sleep podcast, says the sleep expert. “For certain people, the stories can also feel lame or childish. While someone else gets nervous about something like sleep meditation.”
“It is better to invite sleep by gradually winding down your day towards the evening,” says Smolders. How? “For some this means reading or watching TV, for others it means watching Netflix on a tablet in bed or listening to music. What works ideally for one person may upset another. But if it calms you down, then I would say: go for it.”
The sleep expert herself is more of a fan of audio books than sleep podcasts. She recommends the Storytel platform for this. “That is aimed at a much broader audience. So you will find your thing more quickly. Because the most important thing is that the story or genre interests you: only then can you really relax,” Smolders emphasizes. “Listening to a story like this also feels less like a sleep technique and more like something that is simply part of your evening routine. You don’t try to force yourself to sleep.”
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