Are there any good anxiety reducing podcasts?

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LegendEater@reddit

The Rest is Science with Michael from VSauce and Hannah Fry. It tickles my brain.

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It might be an acquired taste, but Three Bean Salad always makes me feel better. It's gentle, funny and whimsical and if you drift off listening it doesn't matter. It's very rarely negative or political, just silly banter and anecdotes.

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Pyrex_Living@reddit

If you want to reduce anxiety especially in the morning I would recommend a walk and some meditation. Get some sun on your skin.

A podcast will at best distract you but the anxiety will be coursing through your body.

Mediate (quiet the mind) and walk ( move your body).

Nothing wrong with listening to podcasts but if you’re anxious flooding your brain with content/stimulation won’t reduce your anxiety

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sennalvera@reddit

Perhaps a bit nerdy but I listen to Causality to fall asleep. The narrator has a kind of droning monotone that's soporific, and I do actually find the subject matter interesting.

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Hyperion2023@reddit

This sounds like a cross between ‘Cautionary Tales’ and ‘99% invisible’ both of which I love - cheers for the recc !

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retailface@reddit

I'm really sorry you've got an anxiety inducing workplace. I know that all too well.

Sean Bean does a really nice one about birds. It's very calming, and it feels like you're sitting in his garden having a cup of tea with him.

Three Bean Salad is three people just basically chatting nonsense. I've laughed out loud at work listening to it.

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sonybacker@reddit

Conan needs a friend.

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pistachioexplosion@reddit

Alex Andreou's Podessy is great, he walks through greek myths from different perspectives which is really interesting but it's also very well produced so is generally pleasant listening, no ads or catchy-annoying jingles or big volume changes that are jarring.

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OldSector508@reddit

Low stakes comedy stuff (not political commentary lol). Oldies but goodies - Off Menu, Dungeons & Daddies, My Dad Wrote A Porno

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DoctorOctagonapus@reddit

Qwerpline is another good comedy one though it's between seasons and the gap is usually fairly long. Semi-improvised sketch comedy based on a small town community radio station and the absurd goings on. There's some stuff that's strictly speaking political, but it's so ridiculous it bears no resemblance to real life.

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nummo66@reddit

Anxiety comes from too much time spent on internet/phones.

Think about that.

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question

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VerbingNoun413@reddit

!tlc

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Expensive-Concept-93@reddit

Tell that to me who was anxious as a child in the 80s with limited screen time

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Positive-Mud-11@reddit

This is me too. Anxiety since childhood with zero screens 😂

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PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit

That is one factor for some people, sure, but I don't think listening to a podcast is quite the same as blue light from screens or doom scrolling in bed.

I sometimes fall asleep listening to Radio 4 live or podcasts, which tends to be softly spoken stories at my bedtime. That's more akin to when a parent would read a child a book when they went to bed than it is scrolling Reddit or YouTube Shorts.

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grimaces111111@reddit

What a bold assertion, you obviously have multiple peer reviewed studies to back this claim up?

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venuscans@reddit

I've been listening to Dish a lot recently - a foodie podcast. I find that v low stakes and relaxing. The chef Angela Hartnett has a brilliant dirty laugh.

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djwillis1121@reddit

I've only seen it as short clips on YouTube but I have really enjoyed what I've seen of it

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venuscans@reddit

Definitely worth a listen. I tried one of their recipes too and it was delish

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Revolutionary_West56@reddit

Love dish ! Great watching it on YouTube too

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venuscans@reddit

I really can't hack watching any podcasts as a video for some reason, but I bet their expressions are a treat! I'm just working my way through the back catalogue as a recent convert.

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Trequartista7777@reddit

I would recommend Secretly Incredibly Fascinating with Alex Schmidt, he's a really chilled out guy who used to work for Cracked back when that website was amazing over a decade ago. Each episode focuses on something innocuous like there was an episode on the colour yellow recently but Alex is quite an engaging, funny chap and each episode is a fun relaxing listen. Someone else suggested Stuff You Should Know, again it's a really good one, been listening to it for well over a decade, they do the odd true crime episode but most other episodes are well written and really relaxing

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ilikedobermans@reddit

I like "Stories from the Village of Nothing Much", it's very soothing and relaxing. They're gentle, cosy stories set in a quiet village, like baking on a rainy afternoon or visiting a farmers market.

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WeeklyPermission239@reddit

Some great podcast suggestions here.

I will add, though, that if you ever reach a point where podcasts and bubble baths won't cut it - don't just struggle on. Listen to your body and look for another job.

It's never worth sacrificing your mental health, and sometimes it's only when we leave an environment that we get clarity on how toxic it was for us.

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Revolutionary_West56@reddit

This is the best advice. There’s a different between normal job stress where you just need to unwind after a bad day, and constant job inducing anxiety and stress

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TheHootOwlofDeath@reddit

The Luxury Podcast, it started out as a podcast about 'Keeping Up Appearances' and when they ran out of episodes moved on to looking at everyday luxury but in a genuinely hilarious way. It really makes me laugh out loud in the best way possible.

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a_little_niche@reddit

I was in a similar situation a few years ago, I found this that really clicked with me. I started listening to her podcast, but after a wee while I found I didn't need it any more.

(This is assuming that the cause of your anxiety is internal - if you're in a horrible work environment with an unreasonable boss/coworkers, podcasts aren't going to help)

Best of luck to you, don't burn yourself out!

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Leking9@reddit

Mindful moments with David Larbi!

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Kiss_It_Goodbyeee@reddit

You're dead to me. A history podcast with a comedian and is very light hearted.

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FishingForWorms90@reddit

Northern news is really funny and relaxed. Even if you're not lucky enough to be a northerner.

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Timely_Midnight5694@reddit

Let’s talk about Myths baby is a great one, I usually listen to Podcasts when I go to bed and it really helps me switch off!

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vulva85@reddit

Strangers on a bench.

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lucwhy@reddit

Blindboy podcast for sure!

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Gullible_fool_99@reddit

Sitting in the garden listening to the birds and watching the sun peek over the horizon.

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Otherwise_Button1979@reddit

I realise this is for the other end of the day, but I find them invaluable when anxious days make sleep tricky. I use Tracks to Relax podcast and 99% of the time I'm asleep very quickly (I'm now used to the male voice on them so I think my brain is wired to go, that voice means sleep time) They also do quick morning meditations as well.

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Suspicious-Rub8976@reddit

Help I sexted my boss, British scandal, saving grace, Louis therouxs one and the romesh ranganathan show are my go tos.

I also listen to redhanded and the necessary conversation but I wouldn't recommend them for trying to reduce anxiety lol

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angvickeen@reddit

I love the Handsome podcast, it makes me smile.

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Alternative_Bug_8987@reddit

Therapy in a nutshell

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welsh_will@reddit

Athletico Mince. Peak comedy nonsense from Bob Mortimer and Andy Dawson. It's excellent.

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poopolisher@reddit

Podcasts won’t do it, you need drugs.

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pelvviber@reddit

Bloody good point actually. I can heartily recommend opiates. The stronger the better.

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pelvviber@reddit

Three Bean Salad.

That's going to take your mind clean off.

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Madsaxmcginn@reddit

Blindboy podcast is amazing - bit contemporary but he is very entertaining and speaks a lot about mental health and even does a few guided meditation episodes.

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unbelievablydull82@reddit

Stuff you should know is a great one. There are episodes that deal with more serious issues, but there's more than enough that are about more gentle subjects, lasers, miniature golf, etc. It's really relaxed, more like two old friends just hanging out and talking, and they've been doing it for years, so it's very comfortable and chilled out

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DrMoneybeard@reddit

I second this. I started listening last year and it’s fantastic. Who knew I’d be so into slime molds??

My other go-to is You’re Dead to Me, a history podcast where every episode has a historian and a comedian, basically the expert teaching the comedian about the subject. Very enjoyable.

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newslang44@reddit

Depends what you’re into. I like good comedian led pods for that purpose, here are some reccs in no particular order:

Romesh Ranganathan show (romesh interviewing a celebrity, then on Thursdays he discusses the interview with his Mum)
Joe and James Fact Up (Simon and Jay from the inbetweeners having a good chat and it never fails to make me laugh or soothe me)
My Therapist Ghosted Me with Joanne McNally and Vogue Williams (probs more relevant if you’re a woman but don’t see why a man couldn’t enjoy it too)
Where There’s a Will There’s A Wake with Mel Giedroyc
Perfect Day with Jessica Knappett (this seems to have stopped since last summer but plenty of old eps to catch up on!)

Also - don’t check the news or do too much scrolling first thing. If you need to stay updated on current affairs, wait until you’ve got your own affairs in order first. As you say, you need to set your day up right before waterboarding your brain with the horrors our digital world delivers us.

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Gisschace@reddit

I like a good hang, its Amy Poehler talking to celebs they start off by asking someone they know to ‘talk well about them behind their back’

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Elegant_Law_6463@reddit

Not a podcast.

I listen to YouTube videos or stories at night to relax, they will have daytime too.

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NthLondonDude@reddit

Yeah just search YouTube for story reading/ chatting/ podcasts for calming anxiety

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Doragrnfld@reddit

I really like Help I Sexted My Boss. Very sweet and a bit silly but brightens my Tuesday and Fridays no end.

If you’re a reader, I also like Sara and Cariad’s Weirdo’s book podcast. No need to read the books beforehand.

I like(d) the Where There’s a Will There’s a Wake podcast when Kathy Burke presented it. There’s a different presenter now and it’s not so great but the early episodes are really good.

Russell Kane’s Evil or Genius is also a good one.

Good luck with the new job!

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