The Most (and Least) Relaxing Shows to Fall Asleep To

When you’re trying to drift off to sleep, your TV choice can make or break the mission. You want something calm enough to help you nod off, but not so boring that you start scrolling through TikTok instead.

According to an analysis from the site AmberWillo, some shows are basically melatonin in streaming form – while others are more like a triple espresso at midnight.

Researchers ranked shows by how likely they are to help or hinder your sleep, looking at factors like episode length, genre, content rating, and whether they contain frightening or jarring scenes.

The 10 Most Relaxing Shows to Fall Asleep To

1. Bluey
2. Seinfeld
3. Mr. Bean
4. Pride and Prejudice (the 1995 BBC miniseries)
5. The Office (U.S. version)
6. Friends
7. Fawlty Towers (British classic from the ’70s)
8. Haikyuu!! (a Japanese anime about volleyball)
9. Yes Minister (a sharp British political sitcom from the ’80s)
10. Arrested Development

Basically, if it’s lighthearted, nostalgic (aka, you’ve seen it before), and doesn’t involve anyone being chased by a demon or tortured in a basement, you’re safe to snooze.

The 10 Least Relaxing Shows to Fall Asleep To

1. Hannibal
2. Sons of Anarchy
3. Daredevil
4. Boardwalk Empire
5. Peaky Blinders
6. Dexter
7. Spartacus
8. The Boys
9. Mr. Robot
10. Black Mirror

So if you’re planning to fall asleep to Black Mirror, don’t be surprised if you wake up questioning the nature of reality – or your toaster. Or basically, just avoid anything that might cause your dreams to feature a soundtrack of screaming and existential dread.

The general guideline? When it’s time to power down, skip the gore and go for something that feels like a warm blanket for your brain. Because sometimes, the best bedtime story is just Bluey asking her dad to play one more game.