Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep

iHeartPodcasts

Having trouble sleeping?  Join Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai for bedtime stories where nothing much happens to help you relax and sleep peacefully. The stories are a soft landing spot for your mind. Rather than letting your brain race through the same thoughts you’ve been chasing all day, we are taking a detour to a calm and comfy place. We tell the story twice and go a bit slower the second time.

You can find our book, "Nothing Much Happens," in over 20 languages. Request your local bookseller to shelve it: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens

read less

Our Editor's Take

Listeners can drift off with the soothing words of Kathryn Nicolai. Her podcast is Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep. Stressful days wind people up so much at times that counting sheep to sleep doesn't work. TV shows mean more screen time and stimulating blue light. Things come up in some audiobooks that trigger worries for many. That goes doubly for those who already suffer from things like anxiety. This podcast is a sleepy alternative.

Nicolai draws on her experience as a yoga and meditation instructor to calm the mind and body. She crafts her podcast stories with alluring sensory detail and gentle character arcs to distract minds. Her stories take listeners on a walk in the woods or a stroll to a magical tea shop after a good day. Sounds and smells and mellow ambiance team up to calm the mind. Simple and pleasant experiences help listeners get their minds off the day.

Nicolai crafts stories with ideal meter and repetition to lull listeners to sleep. Her pace is slow, but not too slow in Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep. Like hypnosis, Nicolai's voice talent is as effective as her writing. Her resonating voice is soft but not too soft.

She recites each story twice. (So, each podcast is about 30 minutes.) The first, faster read works as a step down to the second, slower read. Her style makes her bedtime stories great for many audiences with trouble sleeping. She welcomes the wandering mind to do so and drift off at its own pace. Her sensation and forward motion blend can lure even the most distracted listeners.

Nicolai first started using her storytelling technique to help older kids wind down. Eventually, she employed the approach in her yoga and meditation classes. Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep is primarily for adults. However, Nicolai encourages parents to listen along with their kids. Her podcast has a large following, and listeners report better sleep and health. Many find it to be a quiet celebration of comfort and joy at the end of a long day.

read less
Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness
FictionFiction

Episodes

Holiday Window at the Bookshop
1w ago
Holiday Window at the Bookshop
Our story tonight is called Holiday Window at the Bookshop, and it’s a story about clearing out the pumpkins and setting up the twinkle lights on a rainy December afternoon. It’s also about old buildings with tall ceilings and heavy front doors, a dog asleep in a chair, paper stars and puddles among the cobblestones, and the promise of a new book to whisk you away somewhere magical. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Empower. They provide children, teens, and young adults relief from grief and guide them through life following the loss of a parent. Preorder your own NMH weighted pillow now! Subscribe for ad-free, bonus, and extra-long episodes now, as well as ad-free and early episodes of Stories from the Village of Nothing Much! Search for the NMH Premium channel on Apple Podcasts or follow the link: nothingmuchhappens.com/premium-subscription  Listen to our new show, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much, on your favorite podcast app. nothingmuchhappens.com/stories-from-the-village Join us tomorrow morning for a meditation at nothingmuchhappens.com/first-this.  Save over $100 on the Nothing Much Happens Wind-Down Box, featuring Kathryn’s favorite relaxation essentials from top wellness brands, including calming supplements, a lavender candle, sleep aids, and more for the perfect bedtime ritual.Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-HappensSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
All Hallows' Eve at the Inn
Oct 21 2024
All Hallows' Eve at the Inn
Our story tonight is called All Hallows’ Eve at the Inn, and it’s the third in our special Halloween series this year. It’s about the Innkeeper and her trusty sidekick Sycamore as they ready the Inn for guests on a dark October eve. It’s also about carved pumpkins that line the great staircase, a blurry face in an old photo, a bubbling cauldron of punch in the ballroom, a costume purchased from the thrift store, and a forgotten tradition brought back to life. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Save a Fox Sanctuary. They work to rescue and provide forever homes for captive-born, non-releasable wildlife.  Subscribe for ad-free, bonus, and extra-long episodes now, as well as ad-free and early episodes of Stories from the Village of Nothing Much! Search for the NMH Premium channel on Apple Podcast or follow the link belownothingmuchhappens.com/premium-subscription  Save over $100 on Kathryn’s hand-selected wind-down favorites with the Nothing Much Happens Wind-Down Box. A collection of products from our amazing partners: Eversio Wellness: Chill NowVellabox: Lavender Silk CandleAlice Mushrooms NightcapNutrachamps Tart Cherry GummiesA Brighter Year Mini Coloring BookNuStrips Sleep StripsWoolzies Lavender Roll-On Listen to our new show, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much, on your favoritepodcast app.  Join us tomorrow morning for a meditation at nothingmuchhappens.com/first-thisPurchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-HappensSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Crows & Candles
Oct 14 2024
Crows & Candles
Our story tonight is called Crows and Candles, and it is the next in this month’s special Halloween episodes. While it isn’t at all a scary story, it is meant to be a bit of balm for those that are grieving, and if that feels too heavy for tonight, that’s understandable, might I recommend The Leaf House from a week and half ago in your queue. Tonight's story is about a walk on a misty day and a place at the bottom of the hill where the gate squeaks when you push it open. It’s also about rosemary and gifts brought by birds, the magic of speaking the names of those we love, and a choice to make friends wherever you go. We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue. Providing a safe and loving environment to domestic donkeys.  Subscribe for ad-free, bonus, and extra-long episodes now, as well as ad-free andearly episodes of Stories from the Village of Nothing Much! Search for the NMH Premium channel on Apple Podcasts or follow the link below:nothingmuchhappens.com/premium-subscription  Save over $100 on Kathryn’s hand-selected wind-down favorites with the Nothing Much Happens Wind-Down Box. A collection of products from our amazing partners: Eversio Wellness: Chill NowVellabox: Lavender Silk CandleAlice Mushrooms NightcapNutrachamps Tart Cherry GummiesA Brighter Year Mini Coloring BookNuStrips Sleep StripsWoolzies Lavender Roll-On Listen to our new show, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much, on your favoritepodcast app.  Join us tomorrow morning for a meditation at nothingmuchhappens.com/first-this.Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-HappensSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.