“Soo” must be short for “Soothing”

It didn’t take more than five minutes for me to nod off after pressing play on Chinese Fables and Folk Stories. I can’t remember what any of the tales are about because each time I start one, I pass out. I even tried listening during the day so I could focus—and I fell asleep at my desk. I was beginning to worry I wouldn’t have enough details to write this review, but then I had an epiphany: Not being able to listen all the way through is probably the best praise one can give to something that’s designed to make you fall asleep. I will say this about the content: Each yarn is like experiencing the comforting bedtime story that your parents read to you before you could comprehend sentences. That, and I had very relaxing dreams—something about a lake? Listen to this for the most restful slumber of your adult life. Five stars. —Rachael

What a snooze

As a card-carrying insomniac, I've tried every trick in the book to help me wind down at the end of the day. For me, nothing works better than a combination of nature sounds and talk radio—something about the low hum of environmental chatter mixed with a calm human voice really knocks me out. Imagine my delight to find Sleep Sound with Shamier Anderson, a beautiful riff on my favorite sleep aides. The series takes you around the world, from a thunderstorm on Ethiopia’s Sanetti Plateau to a winter gale in the Cascades. I find that the sound of a storm helps me feel cozy in bed, but there are also calmer scenes. Anderson lets the setting speak for itself before adding his voice, allowing the listener's imagination to take over. This is a rare instance where “snore fest” is the highest honor I can bestow. —Seth

Power nap to the rescue

Have you ever had one of those days when you felt like nothing was going right? Anyone? Or just me? Well, I had that day recently, and all I wanted to do was do what I do best under stress: sleep. My solution was a 20-minute power nap, and that's where Gabby Bernstein's You Are Here comes in. Gabby’s soothing, mellow voice expertly relaxed my nerves and allowed me to melt into my mattress, unfurling every tightened muscle, and focus on my breath during this seven-minute guided sleep meditation. As I inhaled, I felt my lungs expand and my stressful thoughts slow down. After a long breath out, I was ready for sleep—and sleep I did. You Are Here is perfect if you want a short and sweet sleep guide to relax your nerves and induce a restful power nap. —Kistal

This wellness skeptic admits defeat

I consider myself a wellness skeptic. I know things like meditation, running, and soundscapes work for others but stubbornly refuse to try them for myself. However, my current nap strategy—listening to an audiobook or podcast until I fall asleep—has some flaws: I’m tired of having to skip back to find where I drifted off, and more than once I’ve woken up to a spoiler. So I decided to try a bedtime story narrated by none other than Succession's Brian Cox, and this is where the curmudgeon in me must ruefully admit … this stuff works. I half expected to get sucked into the topic, but Cox’s gravelly, melodic voice and the meandering narrative sent me to dreamland within minutes. If the surreal slideshow that flies through your brain just before sleep was an audiobook, it might go something like this. —Sam

Literally the narration of my dreams

Forgive me, it’s a bit delicate trying to “review” a title specifically made to send you to sleep. The Ojibwe Dreamcatcher is a culturally enlightening, beautifully written piece of Ojibwe folklore, centered on the dreamcatcher and the protection and tradition it bestows from mother to baby. At least, I think it is. Despite having listened to it several times, the overwhelming experience is of being willingly ensnared by Keke Palmer’s hypnotic whisper, lulled into the harmony produced not just by the words or their meaning but some greater amalgamation of both. I’m listening, even trying to listen—and then I’m not, because I’m asleep. Maybe another night I’ll make it further along with the story. But honestly, I’m just as happy to get caught in the dreamcatcher’s web again. —Kat

The perfect antidote to a ruff day

My current bedtime routine goes like this: I flop into bed, curl up under my weighted blanket, and, inevitably, spend an hour swiping through dog videos on social media. Maybe it’s nostalgia for my childhood terrier or a simple love of the canine spirit, but nothing calms me quite like watching goofy little puppies navigate the big world around them. Still, I wanted to trade my nightly scrolling for something more conducive to healthy sleep. Enter The Puppy Adoption, narrated with warmth and whimsy by the incomparable Carey Mulligan, who soothingly unravels the joys of adding a four-legged-friend to your family, right down to those curiously corn chip-scented paws. If you’re anything like me, the union of sweet, wrinkly Peanut with his forever home will lull you into a state of wistful tranquility. —Alanna