How Audiobooks Cured My Insomnia

Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

2502

Abstract

sted in finding out what is going to happen next in the story, or I might be tempted to stay awake. My current preference is the Harry Potter series, and I frequently completely skip the climax of the story and go to the boring beginning of the next one, lulled into a stupor by the story setup and descriptions of characters. I don’t mind listening to something I’ve already heard many times to put me to sleep.</li><li><b>Sleep timer. </b>This is a simple one, but worth mentioning in case you are new to audiobooks. Most applications have a built-in sleep timer, that will shut off the story whenever you set it. I plan to set it for a bit longer than I think it will take me to fall asleep, usually about 30 minutes. The next night I simply rewind to the last point in the story I remember as I’m getting ready for bed. Most phones will also do this if you set a timer and instead of selecting a noise to go off at the end of the timer, choose the option to “stop playing”. Although, inevitably I’ll forget to do this about once a month and wake up to my book still playing in the middle of the night (don’t drink and audiobook!).</li><li><b>A low volume.</b> I want a level that I can just barely hear. This will also help if you are trying to not disturb another person. If that’s an issue, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pillow+speaker&ref=nb_sb_noss_2">pillow speakers </a>or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sleep+headphones&ref=nb_sb_noss_2">sleep headphones</a> are also an option. In my case, my partner is now hooked on falling asleep with my audiobook as well.</li></ol><figure id="395b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*j1iBBu_gHxq7s5-Xs_k8Yg.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kxvn_lx">Kevin Laminto</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="61a0">A google search will reveal plenty of free audiobook sources, such as <a href="https://librivox.org/">Librivox</a>. I use <a href="https://www.audible.com/">Audible</a>, but since I find myself re-using the same audiobooks over and over, I called them and requested they only charge me every other month, which they were fine with (you can set any interval if you call). You can even cancel your subscription and keep using their app and any audiobooks you’ve purchased (but be sure to use up any credits you’ve accumulated before canceling).</p><p id="9b76">As I mentioned, I’m currently using the Harry Potter series to fall a

Options

sleep (for probably the 10th read-through). I find epic fantasy tales work really well for me, as they’re often full of long-winded descriptions and imagery. I’ve been through The Wheel of Time series, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones on audiobook.</p><p id="33b6">Try it out for yourself with these five simple steps and let me know if it works. Many of us were read to sleep as children, and I have a feeling this phenomenon will work for more folks than just me.</p><div id="6408" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/is-day-drinking-the-new-normal-a631092634eb"> <div> <div> <h2>Is Day-Drinking the New Normal?</h2> <div><h3>Right now our working society is divided into a few small categories: working from home, furloughed, laid off, or…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*TuD2fc0FU5S3Ca1ejNCxeA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="deb5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/helping-doctors-keep-their-patients-strong-enough-to-recover-24a9b225c969"> <div> <div> <h2>Helping Doctors Keep Their Patients Strong Enough to Recover</h2> <div><h3>My grandma was hospitalized and my research became personal.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*rRMfMeoeYA9TH7lgYqXWxQ.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="5299" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-be-a-good-partner-during-quarantine-5b39514c09a7"> <div> <div> <h2>How to be a Good Partner During Quarantine</h2> <div><h3>It can be challenging to be a supportive partner when you’re locked in together. Here are a few tips to get you through…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*iE7YYYW2xYXvx91Ii-KAgQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

And I still use them every night to fall asleep.

As I think is common for all but a lucky few of us, I struggle with mild insomnia. This is especially relevant right now with all the craziness going on in the world. I have often found myself plagued by the cascading thought-nado that won’t slow down for five minutes so I can doze off. That all changed when I started using audiobooks to put me to sleep.

I occasionally enjoy audiobooks during my waking hours, and I found them relaxing so I decided to try listening to them at night. I was asleep so fast I was instantly hooked. Had I tapped into some sort of childhood-trained reptilian brain switch from years of falling asleep to bedtime stories? I don’t have tangible memories of being read to sleep as a child but maybe my subconscious still does?

Audiobooks have the powerful effect of preoccupying my mind just enough to stop the thought-nado, and at the same time being soothing enough to let me fall asleep (usually in 5–10 minutes!). It’s like an off-button for my brain, and one I’ve been using every night for the last few years. Even on nights I would normally be up for hours, with audiobooks I can get to sleep in 30–45 minutes max.

However, there are several nuances to this life-hack that take it to the next level for me, and hopefully will work for you, too.

75% playback speed. This might be the most important one. It slows down the narrator just enough to be soothing but not enough to sound weirdly slow-motion. It should just be called “bedtime story mode”, and most audiobook readers should have this setting.

A calming narrator. This might be tied for the most important factor. Having a great voice is a prerequisite for being an audiobook narrator, but not all of them may be soothing to put you to sleep. Try out a sample before you download an audiobook to see if you like the narrator. I prefer a low voice like Jim Dale’s.

A familiar story. It’s helpful for me to not be too invested in finding out what is going to happen next in the story, or I might be tempted to stay awake. My current preference is the Harry Potter series, and I frequently completely skip the climax of the story and go to the boring beginning of the next one, lulled into a stupor by the story setup and descriptions of characters. I don’t mind listening to something I’ve already heard many times to put me to sleep.

Sleep timer. This is a simple one, but worth mentioning in case you are new to audiobooks. Most applications have a built-in sleep timer, that will shut off the story whenever you set it. I plan to set it for a bit longer than I think it will take me to fall asleep, usually about 30 minutes. The next night I simply rewind to the last point in the story I remember as I’m getting ready for bed. Most phones will also do this if you set a timer and instead of selecting a noise to go off at the end of the timer, choose the option to “stop playing”. Although, inevitably I’ll forget to do this about once a month and wake up to my book still playing in the middle of the night (don’t drink and audiobook!).

A low volume. I want a level that I can just barely hear. This will also help if you are trying to not disturb another person. If that’s an issue, pillow speakers or sleep headphones are also an option. In my case, my partner is now hooked on falling asleep with my audiobook as well.

A google search will reveal plenty of free audiobook sources, such as Librivox. I use Audible, but since I find myself re-using the same audiobooks over and over, I called them and requested they only charge me every other month, which they were fine with (you can set any interval if you call). You can even cancel your subscription and keep using their app and any audiobooks you’ve purchased (but be sure to use up any credits you’ve accumulated before canceling).

As I mentioned, I’m currently using the Harry Potter series to fall asleep (for probably the 10th read-through). I find epic fantasy tales work really well for me, as they’re often full of long-winded descriptions and imagery. I’ve been through The Wheel of Time series, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones on audiobook.

Try it out for yourself with these five simple steps and let me know if it works. Many of us were read to sleep as children, and I have a feeling this phenomenon will work for more folks than just me.