Entertainment
The 15 Most Calming Shows To Fall Asleep to, Ranked
It is a truth universally acknowledged by television fans that certain shows are best watched at certain times of day. Phenomenal yet scary series like Midnight Mass and The Leftovers are often better watched during the day, while nighttime can be the perfect time to unwind with more lighthearted and low-key shows that will make fans laugh and help them relax before it is time to go to bed.
Some television fans will watch or rewatch a few episodes of a more relaxing show before going to sleep, while others prefer to fall asleep with one of these shows on in the background. There are a number of shows that work really well for viewers looking for something like this, from sitcoms to reality competition shows. These are the most calming television shows to fall asleep to, ranked.
15
‘Love Is Blind’ (2020–Present)
There is something so calming and comforting about a reality dating show, and Love Is Blind takes this up a notch with its unique structure. The series brings in a bunch of singles each season, then has them meet each other while sitting in separate pods. Without seeing what the other person looks like, they are given time to talk, get to know each other, and possibly even fall in love. The catch is that they can’t meet each other in person until they get engaged.
Especially in the period of the season when the contestants are in the pods, Love Is Blind is a great show to throw on in the background while falling asleep. The contestants cannot even see each other, so there is not much to miss on the actual screen while listening to their voices. Additionally, it’s an easy show to fall back into and keep up with after falling asleep or missing a few moments.
14
‘Unsolved Mysteries’ (1987–2009)
Sometimes, when looking for a show to throw on in the background or to watch while falling asleep for the night, a fictional series with a serialized format may not be the best choice. Instead, it can be ideal to watch something like Unsolved Mysteries, a documentary series that explores a number of unsolved crimes, ongoing mysteries, and unexplained events throughout each episode.
Unsolved Mysteries makes for a great watch for viewers who are looking for something that will keep them engaged, but that won’t make them feel lost if they sleep through an episode or two. Additionally, the series is straightforward in its storytelling due to its documentary structure, so it’s easy to follow along for those who aren’t feeling like paying a great deal of attention.
13
‘Emily in Paris’ (2020–2026)
Emily in Paris makes for an excellent watch—or rewatch. The series follows Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), an optimistic American woman who moves to Paris to work for a marketing firm. The series is the perfect mental vacation, full of beautiful views of Paris (and Rome in Season 4), as well as some seriously swoon-worthy romantic plotlines between Emily and her love interests.
Emily in Paris is a very calming show to unwind to and even fall asleep to, as its light tone and easy pace make for a very comforting watch. Whether it be after watching a more intense show or simply on its own, Emily in Paris will make viewers feel instantly calm. Even when things get more dramatic between the characters, there is always this understanding that, somehow, everything is going to ultimately turn out okay for the characters in the end.
12
‘Ted Lasso’ (2020–2023)
For those looking for a heartwarming feel-good show to watch before going to bed, Ted Lasso is a great choice, both to watch for the first time or to watch for the dozenth time. The series follows Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), a college football coach from Kansas who moves to England to coach AFC Richmond’s soccer team. The first season makes for an especially fantastic watch, as the owner of the team, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), secretly works against Ted and the team.
Ted Lasso is the sort of comforting and calming show that makes for an excellent watch when looking to wind down and escape with something funny and engaging. It has some major plot points that viewers won’t want to sleep through, both related to its character dynamics and its focus on soccer, but they can always rewind and watch it over again after waking up.
11
‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–Present)
Four seasons in, Abbott Elementary continues to be one of the funniest and most entertaining shows on television right now. The series follows the teachers working at Abbott Elementary School as they often have to fight an uphill battle to get the resources that their students need. They also deal with things like a ringworm outbreak, a number of not-so-friendly competitions between their classes, and rivalries with local schools.
Abbott Elementary is definitely not a show that viewers will want to sleep through, as each episode is packed with jokes. That being said, it makes for a great show to unwind to, as viewers can get lost in the silly antics that take place among the staff and students of Abbott Elementary School. Whether it be to catch a new episode on a Wednesday night or to binge-watch one night, Abbott Elementary is a great show to watch before bed.
10
‘Friends’ (1994–2004)
Whether it be during its late-night reruns or while rewatching the show in chronological order, Friends is the perfect show to watch for people who are having a hard time falling asleep. It is a true comfort show, with familiar and cozy settings like Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) apartment, Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey’s (Matt LeBlanc) apartment, and, of course, Central Perk.
Friends makes for an excellent series to fall asleep to, particularly for people who have already seen the show before. It will put viewers into a calm and happy mood with hilarious storylines like the friends competing to see who knows each other better, Chandler and Rachel stealing cheesecakes from their neighbor, Ross (David Schwimmer) having bad spray tan and teeth-whitening experiences, and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Chandler playing chicken when the friends try to expose Chandler and Monica’s relationship.
9
‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)
The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a selfish, recently dead woman who has been mistakenly sent to The Good Place. In order to keep her cover from being blown and to keep herself from being sent to The Bad Place, Eleanor convinces her mistakenly assigned soulmate, former ethics and moral philosophy professor Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper), to teach her how to become a good person.
The Good Place has arguably the most serialized storyline and fast-paced plot of any sitcom, complete with a number of plot twists, often at the end of each episode. It’s not a show to fall asleep during, as viewers will miss key plotlines. That being said, the tone and setting are so comforting that it is a great show to watch when looking to relax. Neighborhood 12358W, complete with all of its strange antics, makes for a delightful sitcom setting.
8
‘Is It Cake?’ (2022–Present)
For those who tend to become very focused on serialized plotlines and fictional characters, a reality competition show can be the perfect thing to watch when trying to relax. One such show that is very fun but not too stressful is Is It Cake? The series is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: skilled cake artists compete to bake and decorate cakes to look like objects, and then the judges have to guess which is the object and which is cake.
Due to its silly premise, ability to not take itself too seriously, and abundance of delicious-looking cakes, Is It Cake? is a very fun watch to either throw on in the background or to focus on. Viewers can have fun trying to guess which of the two options is the cake, as well as trying to learn how the artists make these cakes seem so realistic when compared to the objects that they are supposed to imitate.
Community follows Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), a once-successful lawyer who has to attend community college after it’s revealed that he faked his Bachelor’s degree. While trying to get a classmate, Britta (Gillian Jacobs) to go out with him, Jeff accidentally forms a really special, weird, and codependent study group. The series balances between classic college scenarios, homages to film and television, and more inventive science fiction storylines for a captivating watch.
For dreams of paintball and hot lava competitions that take place at a weird and wondrous community college, Community is the perfect show to put on while falling asleep. This has to be for a rewatch, of course, because the plot, characters, and pacing of the jokes require viewers’ full attention on the first watch. There is ultimately just something so comforting about Greendale Community College, and it makes the show one that continues to be a silly and calming watch each time.
6
‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)
New Girl starts out with a simple but funny premise: after getting cheated on by her boyfriend of six years, the quirky and optimistic Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) moves into an apartment with three guys she met on Craigslist. The series becomes something truly special due to its weird and specific humor, its unique and nuanced characters, and its truly phenomenal character dynamics—both romantic and platonic.
Because New Girl follows a traditional sitcom structure, it is a show that viewers can fall asleep to, then jump right into the next episode without being confused. It’s a funny, sweet, and comforting watch with found family dynamics, a lovely setting in Loft 4D, and a number of really fantastic episodes. New Girl will calm down stressed viewers and give them a laugh if they are looking to unwind.
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