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Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep
Wellness Loud · Health
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…
More from this show
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Doug the Pug and Dory in the Village for Halloween
Our story tonight is called Doug the Pug and Dory in the Village for Halloween, and it’s a story about an afternoon at the end of October in the Village Square. It’s also about catnip bats and a wagon full of pumpkins, homemade costumes, and apple turnovers, wagging tails and ruby slippers, and a new tradition made…
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All Hallows' Eve at the Inn (Encore)
Our story tonight is called All Hallows’ Eve at the Inn, and it’s the third in our special Halloween series this year. It’s about the Innkeeper and her trusty sidekick Sycamore as they ready the Inn for guests on a dark October eve. It’s also about carved pumpkins that line the great staircase, a blurry face in an old…
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The Moon and the Maker's Mark
Our story tonight is called The Moon and the Maker’s Mark, and it’s a story about a friendship born on an autumn day and plans made in the dark of night. It’s also about quart jars and canned pumpkin, burnished copper and baking cookies and a soft spell made by loving hands. We give to a different charity each week…
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Crows and Candles (Encore)
Originally presented as Season 14, Episode 39 (Oct 14, 2024) Our story tonight is called Crows and Candles, and it is the next in this month’s special Halloween episodes. While it isn’t at all a scary story, it is meant to be a bit of balm for those that are grieving, and if that feels too heavy for tonight, that’s…
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Slightly More Happens - October Oracles
Our stories tonight are some of my favorites. We’ll spend time at the Inn as the pumpkins are lit and the ballroom fills up with costumed neighbors. There will be cats in windows, a rumbling dumbwaiter, and a secret passageway that’s sat shut up for ages. We’ll wander through the alleys at the Night Market and make…
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The Corn Maze or The Say Yes Club (Encore)
Originally presented as Season 12, Episode 23 (Oct 16, 2023) Our story tonight is called The Corn Maze, or The Say Yes Club, and it’s a story about a trip out into the country as the leaves fall. It’s also about the smell of dried corn stalks, kettle corn and wood chips, and finding a group of friends to have…
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Paper Flowers
Our story tonight is called Paper Flowers, and it’s a story about a place to spend a cozy and creative afternoon. It’s also about the magic of miniature things, having something to look forward to, and the fun of learning something new. Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. 💙 Get 15%…
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Autumn Ride (Encore)
Originally Presented as Episode 19 of Season 10 (Oct 10, 2022) Our story tonight is called Autumn Ride, and it’s about pedaling with friends under falling leaves. It’s also about treats from the bakery, wrapped up and ready to share, rediscovering a pure feeling of joy out on the road, and a hoodie zipped up to your…
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Stargazing in the Woods
Our story tonight is called Stargazing in the Woods, and it’s a story about a few days away from everything and at the same time closer to everything. It’s also about flat stones for skipping, an old blanket spread under the night sky, and a realigned perspective to take home after the embers die. We give to a…
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The Big Day (Encore)
Originally presented on Season 12, Episode 17 (Sept 21, 2023) Our story tonight is about a wedding beside the lake on a soft September day. We’ll hear piano music drifting through the air and champagne corks popping as the whole Village gathers to celebrate love and savor the big and small moments before they slip…
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Coat Check at the Supper Club
Our story tonight is called Coat Check at the Supper Club, and it’s a story about a restaurant on the edge of the lake. It’s also about a quiet corridor lined with numbered hooks and cubbies, carefully set tables, matchboxes and bobby pins, and caring about giving your guests a place where they feel well taken care…
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Something Blue (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 16 of Season 12 (Sept 18, 2023) Our story tonight is called Something Blue, and it brings us a little closer to a much-anticipated event in the Village of Nothing Much. It’s a story about autumn skies and turning leaves. It’s also about a kitten wrapped in a shawl, star anise and…
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Slightly More Happens - September Splendor
Our stories tonight are, if I do say so myself, such a treat. If you have ever wished to book a stay at the Inn of Nothing Much and watch the leaves change while sipping coffee from the back porch. If you love trains and journals and cats and trays of food sent up from the kitchen, these stories are for you. Make your…
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Something Borrowed (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 15 of Season 12 (September 11, 2023) Our story tonight is called Something Borrowed, and it’s the next installment in our series leading up to a special day here in the Village of Nothing Much. It’s a story about early morning at the Inn. It’s also about pretty plates brought out of the…
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Moving In
Our story tonight is called Moving In, and it’s a story about a long drive in a packed car at the beginning of freshman year. It’s also about paper cups of coffee, new towels and beloved memories, turning leaves on the commons and the tender adventure of growing up and letting go. We give to a different charity each…
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Something New (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 14 of Season 12 (September 4, 2023) Our story tonight is called Something New, and it’s a story about stumbling upon a beautiful place on a late summer bike ride. It’s also about lily pads, an X marked on a map, and the joy of watching a friend step into a new season of their life.…
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School Supplies
Our story tonight is called School Supplies, and it is a story about a way to mark the end of warm weather and the beginning of crisp days. It’s also about planners and paper goods, tiny scissors and which color folder for math, and treating yourself to something new just because it makes you smile. Upgrade your…
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Something Old (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 13 of Season 12 (August 28, 2023) Our story tonight is called Something Old, and it’s a story about a gift found on a treasure hunt. It’s also about taking the time to do something well, an embroidery hoop and an orange ribbon, and seeing magic in every day objects that can tell stories…
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The Ferry Landing, Part 2
Our story tonight is called The Ferry Landing, Part 2, and it’s the conclusion to last Monday's episode. If you want to hear both parts, put together with an immersive soundscape made by Bob, you can listen right now on the nothing much happens app. This is a story about a trip across a river at the end of the summer…
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Special Delivery at Weathervane Farm (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 10 of Season 12 (August 7, 2023) Our story tonight is called Special Delivery at Weathervane Farm, and it’s a story about getting chores done in the farmyard on a summer afternoon. It’s also about the animals having their say, a rest with the cows in their pasture, and an invitation…
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The Ferry Landing, Part 1
Our story tonight is called The Ferry Landing, Part 1, and it’s a story about a river, and the island on the other side of it. It’s also about messages sent through the paper, a pilot house and a carpenter’s pencil, and a small summer mystery that left a mark, still present many years later. Whether it's a hobby, a…
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On the Street Where You Live - Chapter 7
Enjoy this excerpt into Kathryn’s new cozy audiobook, On the Street Where You Live. Order now here. Copyright © 2026 by Kathryn Nicolai. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio read by Kathryn Nicolai, Javier Munoz, Mara Wilson, Alma Cuervo, Holter Graham, Danny Burstein, Natalie Naudus, Kobna…
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Summer Feast (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 4 of Season 6 (August 24, 2020) Our story tonight is called Summer Feast, and it’s a story about a meal eaten on a blanket spread over the grass. It’s also about shapes spotted in the clouds, whistle weeds, and taking the time to savor some favorite flavors. Subscribe to our…
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Slightly More Happens - August Abundance
Our stories tonight treat us to some of the loveliest moments of late summer. They are about overflowing gardens and farmers market stalls, heavy rains and nights around the bonfire. They are also about blankets stretched out on the grass, flowering plants and old stately trees, and the sweet moments that come before…
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Pool Day (Encore)
Originally Aired: August 4th, 2025 (Season 16 Episode 10) Our story tonight is called Pool Day, and it’s a story about a cool dip in the water on a hot summer day. It’s also about the tiled walls of the changing rooms, broad open umbrellas, and rows of lounge chairs. A book by your side, droplets on your skin, and the…
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Caught in the Rain
Our story tonight is called Caught in the Rain, and it’s a story about a boat ride as the summer winds down. It’s also about horseshoes and fresh, clean beach towels, the quiet rocking of the waves, the space between dreams and awareness, and the rush of cool air and dim light that comes with a summer storm. Join…
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The Turnaround (Encore)
Originally Aired: July 26th, 2020 (Season 6 Episode 2) Our story tonight is called The Turnaround, and it’s a story about a trip down a gravel road on a summer day. It’s also about bulrushes and bonfires, family stories, and coming back to a place you know well. Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month…
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Off the Beaten Path
Our story tonight is called Off the Beaten Path, and it’s a story about a bit of summer adventuring and the delight of coming across something you never knew was there. It’s also about stalks of lavender and a copper still in a field, turkeys and treehouses, and taking a road that leads somewhere new. Quince Make your…
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Beach Walk (Encore)
Originally presented as Episode 8 of Season 10 (July 25, 2022) Our story tonight is called Beach Walk, and it’s a story about meeting the morning light where the water meets the land. It’s also about the first step into the cool water, a dog chasing a stick into the waves, and a beach towel laid out neatly in the…
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WNMH
Our story tonight is called WNMH, and it’s a story about a Saturday morning broadcast from the radio station in downtown Nothing Much. It’s also about the community calendar and cinnamon buns, still warm at the bakery. A blinking light on the sound board, a bouquet of flowers for someone special, and an ordinary…
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