Insomnia Project | Calm Conversations to Help You 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 one of their favourite places on earth: the library. Settle in, relax, and let the conversation wander wherever it happens to go.On today’s episode, Marco and Amanda share their love for libraries, from browsing the shelves to borrowing audiobooks right on your phone with the Libby app. They chat about the audiobooks they’ve narrated themselves. Marco voiced Nino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints trilogy, and Amanda narrated Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc. They also wander into Goodreads and the fun of following friends’ reading lists, and they talk about the free passes you can borrow with a Toronto Public Library card. Marco sends a special shout-out to the Waterloo Public Library and raves about The Unquiet Library, a podcast celebrating fifty years of Robarts Library that he can’t stop recommending. Amanda recommends a book she just finished and loved, and Marco has a gift tip for the book lover who already gets everything from the library.What We Talk AboutWhy we love librariesThe Libby app and borrowing audiobooks for free with your library cardMarco’s narration of the Nino Ricci trilogy (Lives of the Saints, In a Glass House, Where She Has Gone)Amanda’s narration of Disfigured by Amanda LeducThe Goodreads app and following other readersA shout-out to the Waterloo Public LibraryThe Unquiet Library: Fifty Years of Robarts Library, a podcast Marco lovesToronto Public Library passes (tpl:map)Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine RundellA gift idea for the library lover in your lifeLinks & ReferencesLibby app: https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libbyNino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints trilogy, narrated by Marco Timpano: https://audible.ca/author/Nino-Ricci/B000APB8O2Disfigured by Amanda Leduc, narrated by Amanda Barker (on hoopla): https://www.hoopladigital.com/audiobook/disfigured-amanda-leduc/12917521Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.comWaterloo Public Library: https://www.wpl.caThe Unquiet Library: Fifty Years of Robarts Library (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unquiet-library-fifty-years-of-robarts-library/id1879374857Toronto Public Library: https://www.tpl.caTPL museum and attraction passes (tpl:map): https://tpl.ca/using-the-library/services/map/faq/Katherine Rundell: https://www.indigo.ca/pages/contributor/katherine-rundell?id=862025866Share your library thoughts with us! What’s your favourite branch, and what are you reading or listening to right now?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 ProjectThe 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.

Show notesWelcome 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 EpisodeWhat 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 MediaVenus flytrap videosFacebook and recipe listsmichmashartstache on InstagramscenerybagsJonny typescool_lookin_bugHave Typewriter Will TravelIf 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 ProjectThe 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 AboutMarco learning that makeup can dry upAmanda’s experience with a makeup subscriptionA listener question about planning a trip to ItalyWhat to do, and what not to do, when visiting ItalyRome, Venice, Naples, and other Italian destinationsIf 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 ProjectThe 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.

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 AboutIntercoms in homesDumbwaitersHousehold features that have mostly disappearedMarco’s school days as “the messenger” for his teacherAmanda reading her sister’s diaryWhat happened at her sister’s school danceIf 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 ProjectThe 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 AboutWhat a demitasse is, and why it comes with a saucerAmanda’s dream of becoming a Bond villainVillains, and what makes a good oneBuying wedding china, and how villainous the task can beA cross-promotion swap with Arthur’s Sleepy HistoryThe Insomnia Project being named one of FeedSpot’s Top 18 Insomnia PodcastsMentioned in This EpisodeArthur’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: https://open.spotify.com/show/4AMQOoqVGQVmbotdkcgn48We’re honoured that The Insomnia Project was selected by FeedSpot as one of the Top 18 Insomnia Podcasts on the web. See the full list here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/insomnia_podcasts/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 ProjectThe 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.

Rivers, Blue Herons & Lou Diamond Phillips | Sleep PodcastIn 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 aboutA slow wander along famous rivers, from the Thames and the Seine to the PoCanada's Saint John and St. Lawrence riversThe mighty MurrayAmanda's blue heron sightingIdentifying birds with the Merlin appThe Canada goose, and the beaver as a symbol of CanadaAmanda's Lou Diamond Phillips storyWhy Lou Diamond Phillips is such a great actorMentioned in this episodeSaint John RiverRiver ThamesSeinePo RiverSt. Lawrence RiverMurray RiverBlue heronMerlin Bird ID appCanada gooseBeaverLou Diamond PhillipsKeep wanderingRainy Days, Lazy Rivers & Bird Talk [link]Sleep Podcast: Birdsong, Bird Photography & Buying a Tilley Hat with Nima Kharrazi [link]Drama School Confessions: Bunnies, Shepherds & Bad Memorization HabitsListen / Subscribe 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.

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 impactFavourite Dolly memories and momentsWhat made Dolly so universally belovedShared love of medical dramasChristmas plays and nostalgic small-topic tangentsThe kind of quiet gratitude that comes with remembering someone greatThis episode is perfect for: Dolly Parton fans, sleep podcast listeners, relaxing background conversation, calm bedtime routines, gentle wind-down conversation, tribute episodes, cozy nostalgic chatsAnd 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."We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." Thank you, Dolly, for everything.If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a 5-star rating on your podcast app so more listeners can discover The Insomnia Project.Host: Marco Timpano Special Guest: Shannon McDonough Producers: Half The Sea Podcasts Theme Music: Royalty Free For information regarding your data privacy, visit Acast.com/privacy#sleeppodcast #insomniapodcast #relaxingpodcast #sleepconversation #calmpodcast #bedtimepodcast #fallasleepfast #DollyParton 🌙

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 oneHow Disney found its way into the conversationAmanda's love for EpcotWrapping up season 11Comfort, nostalgia, and the small things we loveWhat makes a companion podcast different from a sleep storyThis episode is perfect for:Falling asleep to calm, familiar voicesInsomnia and restless nights that need something gentleCoffee lovers who like a slow, meandering chatDisney fans who love reminiscing about the parksAnyone who wants company during daily tasks, not just at bedtimeThe 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.