If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last decade, it’s that I can forget about a sound night of sleep if my anxiety is acting up in the slightest. When I’m really struggling to get some rest, I like to turn on some bedtime stories or fairy tales for adults to fall asleep to, which helps me relax and distracts me from my worries. (Because our mental health has enough working against it and sleep apps are my best friend!)

It’s unfortunate that I hadn’t discovered these helpful bedtime stories for adults to fall asleep sooner, because I’ve been struggling with pretty bad sleep issues since high school. It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job to go freelance four years ago that my sleep anxiety let up a bit (being able to go to sleep and wake up whenever I want to obviously really, really helped). That being said, there are still many nights when my racing thoughts refuse to slow down. And I have to call in backup to help tune out the voices in my head. Enter, Headspace’s Sleepcasts.

Sleepcasts App: The Best Bedtime Stories for Adults to Fall Asleep

Sleepcasts by Headspace is an audio-guided tour to help one fall asleep easily. You can think of it as a bedtime story app, but for grown-ups. Unlike podcasts, short sleep stories, or guided meditation (which oftentimes causes me to focus more instead of relax), sleepcasts offer landscape noises along with a visualizing narrative that will help calm our nerves and wind us down to deep sleep. Each audio lasts about 45 minutes and each audio content is designed to not have a beginning, middle, or end — meaning you can listen to any audio at any time and let yourself unwind to a restful night. (Read: these aren’t really like traditional bedtime stories for kids.)

A simple addition to any bedtime routine, all you have to do is sign up and pick whichever audio piques your interest. Afterwards, simply close your eyes and get into whatever relaxing position you’re used to. With its wide range of audio choices, it’s for sure a game changer for any sleep routine. You’ll thank me once you realize you fall asleep faster.

Are Headspace Sleepcasts Free?

Unfortunately, Sleepcasts isn’t free, and you will have to pay a monthly or yearly Headspace membership to access them. That being said, they do offer a free trial for anyone who wishes to use it.

How To Download Headspace Sleepcasts

Available on the Apple Store and Google Play, Sleepcasts is part of the meditation app Headspace, meaning that you’ll need to sign up with Headspace in order to try out its features. They offer an annual subscription with a 14-day free trial or for those who want to try it out short term, a monthly subscription with a 7-day free trial. Whichever option works for you, I highly recommend trying it out especially when getting good quality sleep is what you need. They even offer student discounts and family plans!

Monthly Membership: $12.99/month | Annual Membership: $69.99/year

This App Has The Best Bedtime Stories for Adults to Fall Asleep

It’s been about a year of listening to Sleepcasts whenever I need that extra help to fall asleep, and I’m still amazed by how much each story is able to transport me to a completely different world. From sunny beaches and tranquil forests to a quiet antique shop or a wine vineyard at sunset, Headspace offers a plethora of bedtime stories for adults to fall asleep to. 

And that’s why I prefer it to, say, the Calm app—even though they have Matthew McConaughey. Yes, Calm bedtime stories are good, but I just think that Headspace’s are better. For me, it’s the clear winner in the battle of bedtime stories for adults apps.

Each audio starts off with a “wind down.” These first few minutes will include either a meditation exercise or a breathing technique, followed by a narrated tour of a dreamy landscape, with tranquil noises in the background. What I love about these bedtime stories for adults to fall asleep to is that you can choose if you’d rather have the noises be louder than the voice telling the story, or vice versa. And because you can start at any point in the audio, this makes a perfect addition to those with busy schedules and need to fall asleep asap.

Another interesting aspect of Headspace’s Sleepcasts are that each story changes slightly every night.

From their website:

“Unique to Headspace’s sleepcasts, these night-time journeys are remixed each night, meaning that experience is slightly different each time you listen. That way, you can’t memorize the narrative, and use it to track the passage of time, something we found could cause anxiety for restless sleepers. Whatever bedtime story appeals, the blend of sound and visualization helps to create the ideal conditions for healthy, restful sleep.”

– Headspace.com

All this is to say, if you have trouble falling asleep at night and you’re looking for something more than just white noise audio or bedtime stories, consider giving this meditation app a try. While Sleepcasts does require a subscription to access it, for me, the price is worth the outcome—getting a good night’s sleep is truly priceless.