Worry not: podcasts to help manage stress

Posted on 7 January, 2019

When it comes to stress, our phones can be major culprits—but is it possible to use them for good, rather than evil?

With five stress-relieving podcasts, it is.

The Digital Mindfulness Podcast

https://soundcloud.com/digital-mindfulness/115-digital-accountability-with-taylor-jacobson

It feels slightly ironic to listen to a podcast that discusses issues like ‘learning how to digitally detox’, yet that’s exactly what you’ll find yourself doing. While this show is perhaps less acutely relaxing, it does provide valuable insights on how to spend your time online in a meaningful, intentional way that will allow you to better manage stress in a digital age. Lessons come courtesy of researchers, wellness experts, authors and more, with plenty of practical tips and advice.

Sleep Whispers

Have you ever got goosebumps in response to someone tracing a finger on your back, or hearing a particular sound? You may have experienced ASMR—or autonomous sensory meridian response—a term that describes the tingling sensation we experience in response to different triggers.

Whispering is particularly common, and is the basis of Sleep Whispers. Whether you experience ASMR or not, listening to whispered readings, meditations, poetry or articles is incredibly calming and can help to lull you to sleep.

Self Service with Jerico Mandybur

Girlboss Editorial Director Jerico Mandybur has recruited astrologer Jessica Lanyadoo and psychologist Dr Lauren Hazzouri to create a show that blends astrology and self-care. Sounds self-indulgent? It is—in the best possible way. Each episode blends astrology as a tool for self-inquiry with tips on cultivating self-love, dealing with anxiety and stress, and more. It tackles wellness on a physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and intellectual level.

The New Yorker: Fiction

Though the core premise of this podcast is authors reading and discussing fiction, there are multiple elements that lend themselves to total relaxation. Firstly, the narratives provide an escape from our inner dialogue, helping to slow our thoughts and reach a state of calm. Additionally, host and New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman’s soft-spoken voice is particularly soothing. Overall, it feels a lot like being read a bedtime story, with a side of literary analysis.

My Dad Wrote a Porno

Sometimes, the best remedy to stress is a good laugh—something this podcast serves in spades. James Cooper and Alice Levine join Jamie Morton as he reads aloud his father’s erotic fiction series, Belinda Blinked.

The result is awkward, cringe-inducing and utterly hilarious. Certainly not a podcast to listen to in the office, or in the company of family members and children, but guaranteed to provide a giggle.

Listen to Episode One here.

This article originally appeared in Magazine: FREE for Summer 2018/19, available for free while stocks last. Find out more about Magazine here.

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