You stare at the clock on your bedside table. It's some ungodly hour of the morning and you have to be up way too soon. Your eyes are burning. You keep doing the math in your head, thinking "If I go to sleep right now, I'll get exactly __ hours, __ minutes, and __ seconds of sleep." But that's just the problem, you can't seem to get your brain to shut off long enough to drift into dreamland. Pretty much everyone's been there at some point.
So what do you do? Read a book? Make the executive decision to just get up for the day? Well, YouTube may have you covered.
I've been watching videos on YouTube to fall asleep for years now, and they're so great! There's a sleep video for everyone out there. I'll be doing a second part of this list where I discuss ASMR next week, but here are my favorite non-ASMR sleep-inducing videos!
1. Relaxation music - Vol 3 - by Yogayak
I love yoga. It's the perfect way to unwind after a long day of stress, and whenever I do a free practice without video instruction, I put this video on. About two years ago, I realized that if I listened to this track before bed, it was enough to put me right to sleep. Just think of it as a long corpse pose and don't forget to breathe deeply!
2. OCEAN ESCAPE - by Brainwave Power Music
This channel is incredible. Their videos range from sleep-inducing binaural beats to different wavelengths that help you focus for studying. But this is my all-time favorite video of theirs. It makes me imagine sitting on a beach somewhere, the sun warming my skin as it disappears over the horizon, and the waves lapping at my toes. It's playing in the background of my browser as I write this and I'm already getting sleepy, so let's move on.
3. Relaxing Meditation Music by GuidedMeditationSite
Space is one of those things that I'm literally always excited about; if someone says anything about it, my ears perk right up. This video makes me feel like I'm floating through the Universe and with background notes that sound extremely similar to the opening of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," my geeky self couldn't be happier.
4. SPACE ODYSSEY by Relaxing White Noise
I absolutely watched this video for the first time because it said "Sounds Like Star Trek TNG Engine" in the title. It's a nerd fantasy of mine to actually be on a starship, and this is what the soundtrack would be. It also drowns out any unwanted thoughts that might be bouncing around your brain case.
5. Rivendell - by ASMR Rooms
I know I said these were non-ASMR but this is really more of a white noise video than anything. And remember what I said about the last one satisfying a nerd fantasy? Well, guess what else I dream about. That's right, Rivendell. And I don't know how this girl does it but holy crap this is exactly what I imagine Rivendell would sound like.
6. Rain on log cabin roof by The ASMR Geek
Again, this is really more of a white noise video than an ASMR video. I think sometimes people put "ASMR" in the title of their videos to make them more searchable, and perhaps because they're not entirely solid on the actual meaning of the acronym. But anyway, I love the rain. Sunshine is not my thing, but rain? Oh yeah. And what's more cozy and calming than the sound of rain on a cabin roof with a crackling fire in the background? Not much.
7. Star Trek Ambient Engine Noise by crysknife007
Damn, Gabi. Back at it again with the nerdy sleep videos. This one's more or less the same as number four, but they're both awesome if you're a fan of "Star Trek" and want to drift off to sleep while imagining yourself on the Enterprise.
8. SLEEP CITY by Brainwave Power Music
This channel is the best. I know I already put one of their videos in this list, but I could listen to these all day. There's something about the combination of crickets chirping in the background and the slow notes in the background that make you want to lie down and never get back up.
9. Enterprise "Sleeping Quarters" Ambience by ender4life
I can already feel the judgement. "Oh wow, Gabi, another 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' video, who would have guessed?" Too bad, because this is my list of my favorite videos. And this one makes me feel like I'm tucked into my bed aboard a starship bound for the far reaches of the cosmos. To make it even cooler, the creator even went so far as to add little door swooshes and computer beeps in the background to make sure you really feel like a member of the crew.
10. Guided Relaxation by TheHonestGuys
Sometimes, white noise doesn't work for me. This solves that problem. It's a guided relaxation track accompanied by the sound of waves softly crashing against the shore. The narrator, Rick Clarke, masterfully relaxes you over the course of the video, and I've found that when all else fails, this is a sure-fire way to get to sleep.
So there you have it, my favorite non-ASMR sleep-inducing videos! I hope these help you to be able to fall asleep better, or even just relax yourself. These are also great for times when it may be a bit harder than usual to fall asleep, like before an important event, on a plane or car ride, etc. Sleep tight!