A sleep podcast that actually works. The Insomnia Project helps you fall asleep, quiet racing thoughts, and ease nighttime anxiety — not with meditation or white noise, but with 26 minutes of warm, unhurried conversation about nothing in particular. Hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker talk about everyday life — waiting rooms, road trips, coffee, radiators — giving your mind something gentle to drift off to. Running since 2015 with over 1.75 million downloads, The Insomnia Project is one of the longest-running sleep podcasts of its kind. No scripts. No experts. Just two people talking, so you can finally sleep. New episodes weekly. Listen & Sleep.
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Welcome to The Insomnia Project, the sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep. Join hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker for a calm, meandering conversation about Venus flytrap videos, Facebook recipe lists, and the artists turning up in their social media feeds. Settle in, relax, and let the conversation wander wherever it happens to go.
In This Episode
What does your scroll say about you? In this episode, Marco and Amanda share what’s been catching their eye online. Marco has been enjoying Venus flytrap videos, while Amanda explains that she only really looks at Facebook, where she gets a lot of recipe lists. Along the way, they highlight a few of the artists and accounts they’ve come across, including Have Typewriter Will Travel, making for a relaxed tour of two very different feeds.
What We’ve Been Watching on Social Media
Venus flytrap videos
Facebook and recipe lists
michmashartstache on Instagram
scenerybags
Jonny types
cool_lookin_bug
Have Typewriter Will Travel
If you enjoy spending time with us, follow or subscribe to The Insomnia Project on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And remember, you don’t have to stay awake for the whole conversation. That’s kind of the point!
About The Insomnia Project
The Insomnia Project is a sleep podcast hosted by Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker. Through calm, meandering conversations about everyday life, nostalgia, curiosities, and the unexpected, the hosts create a gentle listening experience for bedtime, relaxation, or whenever you need a quieter moment.
A sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep.
Welcome to The Insomnia Project, the sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep. Join hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker for a calm, meandering conversation about makeup that dries up, makeup subscription boxes, and planning a trip to Italy. Settle in, relax, and let the conversation wander wherever it happens to go.
This episode begins with a small revelation: Marco discovers that makeup can actually dry up. Amanda shares her experience with a makeup subscription she’s used, and the conversation drifts from there to a listener question about planning a trip to Italy. Marco and Amanda trade thoughts on what to do and what not to do, with stops in Rome, Venice, Naples, and beyond. It’s a relaxed bit of travel daydreaming, perfect for bedtime listening.
What We Talk About
Marco learning that makeup can dry up
Amanda’s experience with a makeup subscription
A listener question about planning a trip to Italy
What to do, and what not to do, when visiting Italy
Rome, Venice, Naples, and other Italian destinations
If you enjoy spending time with us, follow or subscribe to The Insomnia Project on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And remember, you don’t have to stay awake for the whole conversation. That’s kind of the point!
About The Insomnia Project
The Insomnia Project is a sleep podcast hosted by Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker. Through calm, meandering conversations about everyday life, nostalgia, curiosities, and the unexpected, the hosts create a gentle listening experience for bedtime, relaxation, or whenever you need a quieter moment.
Intercoms, Dumbwaiters & Reading Your Sister’s Diary | Sleep Podcast
Season 12 · Episode 3
Saturday, October 24, 2026 • Duration 26:39
Welcome to The Insomnia Project, the sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep. Join hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker for a calm, meandering conversation about home intercoms, dumbwaiters, and the things houses used to have that have quietly disappeared. Settle in, relax, and let the conversation wander wherever it happens to go.
Remember when some homes had intercoms on the wall, or a dumbwaiter tucked between floors? Marco and Amanda take a nostalgic stroll through the household features that were once part of everyday life and aren’t really around much anymore. Along the way, Marco remembers the time he was chosen to be “the messenger” for his teacher, and Amanda makes a confession: she once read her sister’s diary. That leads to the story of what happened at her sister’s school dance. It’s an episode that doesn’t go anywhere in particular, but it’s a lot of fun not getting there.
What We Talk About
Intercoms in homes
Dumbwaiters
Household features that have mostly disappeared
Marco’s school days as “the messenger” for his teacher
Amanda reading her sister’s diary
What happened at her sister’s school dance
If you enjoy spending time with us, follow or subscribe to The Insomnia Project on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And remember, you don’t have to stay awake for the whole conversation. That’s kind of the point!
About The Insomnia Project
The Insomnia Project is a sleep podcast hosted by Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker. Through calm, meandering conversations about everyday life, nostalgia, curiosities, and the unexpected, the hosts create a gentle listening experience for bedtime, relaxation, or whenever you need a quieter moment.
A sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep.
Welcome to The Insomnia Project, the sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep. Join hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker for a calm, meandering conversation about demitasse cups, Bond villains, and the surprisingly villainous task of buying wedding china. Settle in, relax, and let the conversation wander wherever it happens to go.
This episode starts with two unlikely companions: tiny coffee cups and villains. Amanda reveals her ambition to be a Bond villain, while Marco sets the record straight on what exactly a demitasse is. From there, the conversation drifts into the world of wedding china, and why picking out plates and saucers might be the most villainous chore of all.
“I know why you have a saucer under your demitasse.”
What We Talk About
What a demitasse is, and why it comes with a saucer
Amanda’s dream of becoming a Bond villain
Villains, and what makes a good one
Buying wedding china, and how villainous the task can be
A cross-promotion swap with Arthur’s Sleepy History
The Insomnia Project being named one of FeedSpot’s Top 18 Insomnia Podcasts
Mentioned in This Episode
Arthur’s Sleepy History: As part of a cross-promotion swap, we’re sharing Arthur’s Sleepy History. If you’re looking for something new to add to your bedtime listening, give it a try:
If you enjoy spending time with us, follow or subscribe to The Insomnia Project on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And remember, you don’t have to stay awake for the whole conversation. That’s kind of the point!
Rivers, Blue Herons & Lou Diamond Phillips | Sleep Podcast
Season 12 · Episode 1
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 29:02
Rivers, Blue Herons & Lou Diamond Phillips | Sleep Podcast
In this sleep podcast episode of The Insomnia Project, Amanda and Marco settle into a slow, meandering conversation designed to help you relax and fall asleep. If your thoughts tend to wander like a slow river at bedtime, you're in good company.
In this episode:
To kick off Season 12, Amanda and Marco talk about rivers around the world: the Saint John, the Thames, the Seine, the Po, the St. Lawrence and the mighty Murray. They also cover blue herons, the Merlin bird ID app, the Canada goose, the beaver as a symbol of Canada, and why Lou Diamond Phillips is such a great actor. It's a gentle, meandering conversation for anyone looking to relax, unwind, and fall asleep.
How the conversation meanders
Season 12 begins the way the best Insomnia Project episodes do: slowly, and slightly off course. After a long break, Amanda and Marco welcome you to… Season 13. (It's Season 12. The break may have been a little too long.)
From there, the conversation follows the water. They wander from the Saint John River to the Thames, the Seine and the Po, then back to the St. Lawrence before heading all the way to the mighty Murray. From the water's edge it's a short hop to birds. Amanda shares the story of a blue heron she spotted and how she uses the Merlin app, and Marco turns to two Canadian icons, the Canada goose and the beaver, a symbol of the nation. And then, somehow, Lou Diamond Phillips. Amanda tells a story about him, and the two of them happily gush about what a great actor he is. Nothing urgent, nothing to keep track of.
What we talk about
A slow wander along famous rivers, from the Thames and the Seine to the Po
Canada's Saint John and St. Lawrence rivers
The mighty Murray
Amanda's blue heron sighting
Identifying birds with the Merlin app
The Canada goose, and the beaver as a symbol of Canada
The Insomnia Project is a relaxing sleep podcast made for anyone who needs help drifting off — whether you're battling insomnia, winding down after a long day, or just looking for a calm, low-stakes conversation to relax to. This episode is a Season 5 repeat, pulled from the archive while we're on a short hiatus, and it feels like the perfect one to bring back: it's raining outside as we post this, and this episode was born from exactly that kind of gentle, pitter-patter afternoon.
Marco and Amanda let the rain set the pace, easing into a meandering chat that starts with a lazy river trip — all slow floats and peaceful, unhurried water — before drifting somewhere neither of them expected: a friendly debate about birds. Blue herons, flamingos, and kingfishers all get their moment as Marco and Amanda swap opinions and observations, wandering further and further from where the conversation started, the way it always does on this show.
Perfect for anyone who wants a soothing, mundane conversation podcast to fall asleep to, work quietly alongside, or just decompress with.
What we talk about:
The calming sound of rain as the backdrop for the episode
A recent lazy river trip and the joy of slow, aimless floating
An unplanned deep dive into bird opinions
Blue herons, flamingos, and kingfishers
The natural, drifting way the conversation moves from water to wildlife
Why low-stakes chatter is the whole point of this show
This episode is perfect for:
Falling asleep to a soft, rainy-day conversation
Listening while you work and need something gentle in the background
Relaxing during an actual rainy afternoon
Anyone who enjoys easygoing, tangent-friendly conversation
Bird lovers or casual wildlife appreciators who enjoy a lighthearted debate
Remembering Dolly Parton, With Gratitude
Season 11.5 · Episode 27
Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 29:32
Looking for a relaxing sleep podcast with calm conversation to help you unwind or drift toward sleep? We're currently on hiatus, but with the recent passing of the legendary Dolly Parton, we wanted to re-air this gentle, appreciative conversation about her life and legacy — not with sadness, but with gratitude for everything she gave us. In this episode of The Insomnia Project, Marco welcomes special guest Shannon McDonough, a devoted Dolly fan, for a warm look back at a true icon.
Dolly once said, "Find out who you are and do it on purpose," and that spirit runs through this whole conversation. Marco and Shannon share stories, reflections, and favourite moments connected to Dolly's remarkable career, exploring what made her such a beloved figure in music and popular culture. Along the way, they also discover a few things they have in common — from their shared enjoyment of medical dramas to Christmas plays — the discussion meanders through the kinds of small, curious topics that listeners of The Insomnia Project have come to love. As Dolly herself put it, "Leave something good in every day," and this episode was full of that kind of good.
Even with such a bright star as the topic, the conversation remains calm, cozy, and pleasantly low-stakes — perfect for listeners looking for a sleep podcast, relaxing background conversation, or a gentle way to remember someone whose kindness reached everyone.
What we talk about:
Dolly Parton's career and cultural impact
Favourite Dolly memories and moments
What made Dolly so universally beloved
Shared love of medical dramas
Christmas plays and nostalgic small-topic tangents
The kind of quiet gratitude that comes with remembering someone great
This episode is perfect for: Dolly Parton fans, sleep podcast listeners, relaxing background conversation, calm bedtime routines, gentle wind-down conversation, tribute episodes, cozy nostalgic chats
And if you don't make it to the end because you fall asleep, well… you've paid us the biggest compliment. 🌙 We think Dolly — who never took herself too seriously — would appreciate that.
Sleep Podcast: Cappuccinos, Disney, and the End of Season 11 | The Insomnia Project
Season 11 · Episode 26
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 30:12
The Insomnia Project is the sleep podcast made for the moments between wide awake and drifting off. If you're here to relax, unwind, and finally fall asleep, you've found your people. This episode closes out season 11 with a conversation that's easy, warm, and just a little indulgent, perfect for a slow wind down before bed.
Marco and Amanda start with cappuccinos and somehow end up in Disney territory, tracing the strange and cozy overlap between the two. The chat wanders the way it always does, from foam and espresso to theme parks and childhood favourites, landing on Amanda's soft spot for Epcot and everything it holds for her. It's the kind of meandering, low stakes talk that's easy to fall asleep to, whether or not you're following every turn.
Perfect for anyone who wants a familiar voice in the background, whether you're settling in for sleep or just moving through your day.
What we talk about:
Cappuccinos and the ritual of a good one
How Disney found its way into the conversation
Amanda's love for Epcot
Wrapping up season 11
Comfort, nostalgia, and the small things we love
What makes a companion podcast different from a sleep story
This episode is perfect for:
Falling asleep to calm, familiar voices
Insomnia and restless nights that need something gentle
Coffee lovers who like a slow, meandering chat
Disney fans who love reminiscing about the parks
Anyone who wants company during daily tasks, not just at bedtime
The Insomnia Project has been helping people relax, unwind, and fall asleep since 2015. Whether you're dealing with insomnia, need a bedtime podcast to fall asleep to, or just want a mundane, calming conversation to keep you company, we're here for it, season after season.
If this episode helped you drift off or just get through your day, leave us a rating and review. It helps other night owls and daily companions find the show.
Sleep Podcast: Dream Boats & the Fonz | The Insomnia Project
Season 11 · Episode 25
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 28:09
Welcome back to The Insomnia Project, the sleep podcast made for anyone who's ever stared at the ceiling at 2am wishing someone would just talk them to sleep. If you're here to fall asleep, relax, or quiet a racing mind after a long day, you're in exactly the right place — Amanda and Marco are back with the penultimate episode of the season, and it's a slow, cozy one.
This time the conversation starts small: what a perfect rainy day weekend actually looks like, and whether it's better spent doing absolutely nothing or puttering around the house. From there it drifts, as these things do, into dream boats — what kind they'd buy if money and moorage fees were no object — which somehow spirals into a full oral history of "jumping the shark," Fonzie, water skis, and the two of them earnestly debating whether this very episode might be the one where the podcast jumps the shark. It's meandering, a little silly, and exactly the kind of low-stakes tangent that's perfect for winding down.
Whether you're drifting off tonight or just need something gentle in the background, this one's for you.
What we talk about:
The ideal rainy day weekend — plans vs. no plans
Dream boats and the fantasy of owning one
The origin of "jumping the shark" and the Fonzie episode that started it all
Whether a 26-minute sleep podcast can, in fact, jump the shark
Season wrap-up energy as we approach the finale
Comfort in repetition and low-stakes nostalgia talk
This episode is perfect for:
Falling asleep to a calm, familiar conversation
Rainy day listening, fittingly enough
Fans of nostalgic pop culture tangents
Anyone who needs a mundane, meandering distraction from a racing mind
Long-time listeners riding out the season with us
As always, The Insomnia Project is here for the nights when your brain won't quiet down — mundane conversation, gentle pacing, and nothing you need to remember in the morning. New episodes drop regularly, so if this helped you drift off, come back for more.
Drywall, Mudding & Toilet Truths
Season 11 · Episode 24
Friday, July 31, 2026 • Duration 28:17
On today's episode of The Insomnia Project, Marco and Amanda settle into the kind of meandering, low-stakes chat that makes the perfect sleep podcast — the sort of gentle background noise that helps you relax, unwind, and drift off, whether you're dealing with insomnia or just need something soothing to fall asleep to tonight.
It starts practical: Marco walks through his real-life drywall work, mudding, and the different types of board he's been wrestling with in a home renovation. But this wouldn't be The Insomnia Project without a detour — Amanda drops a bombshell from her past: she used to write articles for her school paper under the pseudonym "The Porcelain Goddess." then, the conversation drifts somewhere nobody expected: a specific, surprisingly divisive toilet. The podcast seems to become a podcast called "Toilet Truths" — and no, it's not as gruesome as it sounds. It's less bathroom horror story and more household controversy that apparently has strong opinions on both sides.
Perfect for anyone who loves a conversation that starts in one place and ends up somewhere completely unexpected — that's the whole appeal here.
What we talk about:
Marco's hands-on drywall and renovation project
The step-by-step process of mudding and finishing drywall
Whether "drywall" counts as a generic trademark
The unplanned pivot into "Toilet Truths"
The surprisingly divisive toilet at the center of it all
Why home renovation rabbit holes are the best kind of tangents
This episode is perfect for:
Anyone who needs a calm, meandering conversation to fall asleep to
Insomniacs looking for gentle background chatter
Renovation nerds curious about drywall and mudding basics
Fans of oddly specific household debates
Listeners who enjoy Marco and Amanda's classic topic drift
Anyone who wants to know what "Toilet Truths" is really about
Details about Insomnia Project | Calm Conversations to Help You Sleep, a podcast by Marco Timpano | Host of The Insomnia Project Sleep Podcast
☕ Support the show and get bonus chats on Patreon:
The Insomnia Project is a sleep podcast hosted by Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker. Through calm, meandering conversations about everyday life, nostalgia, curiosities, and the unexpected, the hosts create a gentle listening experience for bedtime, relaxation, or whenever you need a quieter moment.
A sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep.
Enjoying The Insomnia Project? Follow or subscribe wherever you listen, and if we've helped you fall asleep, a rating or review helps other restless minds find their way here.
About The Insomnia Project
The Insomnia Project is a sleep podcast where nothing happens… so you can listen and sleep. Hosted by Amanda Barker and Marco Timpano, each weekly episode is a slow, meandering conversation about the ordinary things that make life interesting—from nostalgia, everyday rituals and forgotten memories to places, people, pop culture and the little curiosities we usually overlook. There's no plot to follow, no need to concentrate, and nothing you need to remember. Just a cozy conversation designed to help you relax, unwind, and drift off to sleep.
theinsomniaproject.com · A Half the Sea Podcasts production.
The Insomnia Project is built for mundane, meandering conversation that helps quiet a busy mind. Follow along loosely, or let the voices fade into the background — and if you fall asleep before the end, that's the highest compliment you can pay us. 🌙🌧️
If you enjoyed this rainy-day repeat, we'd love it if you left a rating or review — it helps more people find their way to a good night's sleep.
