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Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep

Nothing Much Happens

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone—and there’s help. Nothing Much Happens is a bedtime story podcast beloved by millions. Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai tells soothing, cozy stories where—just as the title says—nothing much happens. That’s the magic. Instead of spiraling thoughts or anxious scrolling, you’ll be gently guided to a calm, comfortable place. Each episode is read twice, with a slower second telling to ease you into rest. Trusted by listeners for over seven years and streamed more than 180 million times, it’s a ritual of safety, comfort, and sleep. Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Premium channel.⁠⁠ The first month is on us. 💙 Find our bestselling book Nothing Much Happens in over 20 languages worldwide.

  1. 1d ago

    Out and Back

    Our story tonight is called Out and Back, and it’s a story about a calm way to cap a long summer day. It’s also about hickory trees and fresh hay in the field, katydids and kickstands, and letting your senses fill with the sights and sounds around you, being here while here is happening. Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. 💙 Whether it's a hobby, a passion, or a long-held idea, Shopify can help you bring it to life. Start with a free trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/nothingmuch⁠ We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to ⁠Wishbone Pet Rescue⁠ in Douglas, Michigan. They work to protect, shelter, and rehome animals in need. ⁠⁠⁠Pre-register for the Village of Nothing Much app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use code VILLAGE-FOUNDER for 25% off for life! Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay in the know. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NMH merch, autographed books, and more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to our daytime show, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pay It Forward Subscription⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more Village fun. Stop by The Inn on your adventures with this playlist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  2. 5d ago

    The Evening of the 4th (Encore)

    Originally aired July 7, 2025 (Season 16, Episode 2) Our story tonight is called The Evening of the 4th, and it’s a story about a day-long event that ends with a picnic and a concert on the grass. It’s also about hand pies and potato salad, a busy kitchen full of aproned volunteers and the sound of the instruments tuning up on the patio. Thyme and lemon zest, and the satisfaction of sharing good times with your neighbors. Subscribe to our ⁠Premium channel⁠. The first month is on us.💙 ⁠⁠⁠Pre-register for the Village of Nothing Much app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use code VILLAGE-FOUNDER for 25% off for life. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book ⁠⁠⁠⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠NMH merch, autographed books, and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to our daytime show ⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pay it forward subscription⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more Village fun. Spend some time at The Inn with this playlist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  3. 6d ago • Subscribers Only

    The Longest Day (Bonus)

    Our story tonight is called The Longest Day, and it continues my foray into prose poetry, inspired by the concept of sonder. It’s a story about a clothes line and a cooling night wind. It’s also about a rowboat and feathers skimming over water, heart shaped leaves and having as much time as you need and many pleasant ways to pass it. Thank you for being a Premium member. 💙 Pre-registration is open for the new ⁠NMH app⁠ launching on July 9th, 2026! Pre-order Kathryn’s new book ⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠. ⁠NMH Merch, Autographed Books and More!⁠ Listen to our daytime show ⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠ Sit ⁠Meditation⁠ with Kathryn Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ Visit ⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠ for more Village fun! Sign-Up for our Newsletter⁠ HERE⁠ to be in the know!

    30 min
  4. Much More Happens - Volume 9 - Summer Favorites

    Jun 30 • Subscribers Only

    Much More Happens - Volume 9 - Summer Favorites

    Our stories tonight take you through warm months in the village and surrounding areas. We’ll visit wild woods and warm beaches, we’ll have picnics and find shapes in the clouds, we’ll paddle down the canal, put up batches of pickles and nap through summer storms. Thank you for being a Premium member. 💙 Pre-registration is open for the new ⁠NMH app⁠ launching on July 9th, 2026! Pre-order Kathryn’s new book ⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠. ⁠NMH Merch, Autographed Books and More!⁠ Listen to our daytime show ⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠ ⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ Visit ⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠ for more Village fun! Sign-Up for our Newsletter ⁠HERE⁠ to be in the know!

    9h 30m

  5. Jun 29

    Slow Life

    Our story tonight is called Slow Life, and it’s about changing your pace in lots of small ways. It’s also about the texture of tree bark, your shoulders releasing from your ears, and the feeling of cello music vibrating in your chest. Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to Tiny Paws Pug Rescue, finding pugs their forever homes. Pre-register for the Village of Nothing Much app. Use code VILLAGE-FOUNDER for 25% off for life. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book, On the Street Where You Live. NMH merch, autographed books, and more Listen to our daytime show, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much. Sit Meditation with Kathryn Pay It Forward Subscription Follow us on Instagram. Visit Nothing Much Happens for more Village fun. Stop by the Cabin with this playlist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  6. Jun 25

    The Last Day of School (Encore)

    Originally presented as Bonus Episode 6 of Season 15 (June 1, 2025) Our story tonight is called The Last Day of School, and it’s a story about a slow parade of proud students through downtown Nothing Much. It’s also about baseball cards and bike spokes, lemon candies and bubbles, bookmarks and summer music, and lazy days ahead. Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Premium channel⁠⁠. The first month is on us. Pre-register for the Nothing Much Happens app launching July 9th at nothingmuchhappens.com/village-preregister using promo code: VILLAGE-FOUNDER to lock in the 25% discount for life.  Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to stay in the know. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book, ⁠⁠⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠NMH merch, autographed books, and more⁠⁠⁠ Listen to our daytime show, ⁠⁠⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Pay It Forward Subscription⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠⁠⁠ for more Village fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

  7. Jun 22

    Family Photos

    Our story tonight is called Family Photos, and it’s a story about an afternoon in the village square and moments caught on film. It’s also about oak trees and rowboats, a gate in a fence and the feeling of belonging in your family and in your community. Subscribe to our ⁠Premium channel⁠. The first month is on us. OneSkin Get 15% off OneSkin with the code NOTHINGMUCH at ⁠oneskin.co/NOTHINGMUCH⁠. #oneskinpod We give to a different charity each week and this week we are giving to CommUNITY Pride of Saugatuck/Douglas. They support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through events, advocacy, partnerships, and year-round connection. Pre-register for the Village of Nothing Much app⁠. Use code VILLAGE-FOUNDER for 25% off for life! Sign up for our ⁠newsletter⁠ to stay in the know. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book, ⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠. ⁠NMH merch, autographed books, and more⁠ Listen to our daytime show, ⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠. ⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠ ⁠Pay It Forward Subscription⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠. Visit ⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠ for more Village fun. Listen to the adventures of our favorite furry trio with this playlist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  8. Jun 18

    The Cabin in Summer (Encore)

    Originally aired June 23, 2025 (Season 15, Episode 50) Our story tonight is called The Cabin in Summer, and it’s a story about days spent in the sunny garden and the shaded forest. It’s also about lemon balm and raspberries, the cool water of the creek running over your ankles, mushroom hunting and threshold sweeping, and the wisdom of wild places handed down from one generation to the next. Go to ⁠AquaTru.com⁠ now for 20% off your purifier using promo code NOTHINGMUCH. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee. Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Premium channel.⁠⁠ The first month is on us. 💙 Pre-register for the Village of Nothing Much app⁠⁠. Use code VILLAGE-FOUNDER for 25% off for life. Pre-order Kathryn’s new book ⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠. ⁠NMH merch, autographed books, and more⁠ Listen to our daytime show ⁠Stories from the Village of Nothing Much⁠ ⁠Sit Meditation with Kathryn⁠ ⁠Pay it forward subscription⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ Visit ⁠Nothing Much Happens⁠ for more Village fun. Come to the Cabin with this playlist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
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4.7
out of 5
10,066 Ratings

About

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone—and there’s help. Nothing Much Happens is a bedtime story podcast beloved by millions. Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai tells soothing, cozy stories where—just as the title says—nothing much happens. That’s the magic. Instead of spiraling thoughts or anxious scrolling, you’ll be gently guided to a calm, comfortable place. Each episode is read twice, with a slower second telling to ease you into rest. Trusted by listeners for over seven years and streamed more than 180 million times, it’s a ritual of safety, comfort, and sleep. Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Premium channel.⁠⁠ The first month is on us. 💙 Find our bestselling book Nothing Much Happens in over 20 languages worldwide.

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