Why I Created My Newest Podcast “As You Lie Down”

I’ve struggled with insomnia on and off since high school. Over the years, I’ve tried many Christian sleep podcasts and bedtime routines. Some were helpful, most weren’t.

The most common problem with podcasts and youtube sleep vidoes was loud ads. There is nothing worse than finally relaxing, only to be jolted awake by an unexpected advertisement or sudden shift in volume. For a sleep-focused podcast, that felt especially disruptive. You will never find that here.

I wanted to create something intentionally designed not to escalate, but to cultivate rest; something that would end without demanding attention.

I’ve also experienced firsthand how what we hear at night continues to reach us. Many evenings, I fall asleep listening to the audio Bible, I'll choose a book and then let the Bible play chronologically from there as I sleep. One morning, I woke from a very vivid dream in which my beloved, deceased mother was joyfully reciting 1 Corinthians 13 from memory. In the dream, I was amazed by her and in awe of how beautifully she knew it. When I woke up, the audio Bible was reading 1 Corinthians 14. What I was listening to in the outside world, had weaved its way into my dream! That experience has stayed with me. It confirmed what I already suspected, that what we expose ourselves to (even while asleep) enters us.

Most of us also don’t end our days in stillness. We carry unfinished thoughts, open tabs in the mind, and the residue of constant input into the final moments before sleep. Scrolling. Replaying conversations. Worrying about tomorrow. Falling asleep to noise that keeps the nervous system alert long after the body is tired but Scripture offers a different way to end the day.

In Deuteronomy, God tells His people to speak His Word not only when they rise, but when they lie down. Not as a task to complete, but as a rhythm of remembrance and trust.

“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” — Deuteronomy 6:7

That verse names a moment we often overlook: the threshold between waking and sleep; a liminal space where we are neither fully alert nor fully unconscious. That threshold is where As You Lie Down lives.

What Happens as We Fall Asleep?

As we fall asleep, the brain does not shut off all at once. Sleep researchers refer to the first part of falling asleep as sleep latency; the period between lying down and entering deeper stages of sleep. For most adults, this lasts 10–20 minutes.

During this time:

• We pass through Stage 1 and Stage 2 sleep

• The brain is still processing sound

• The thalamus, which acts as the brain’s sensory gatekeeper, is not fully closed yet

• Familiar, calm voices and repeated language are more likely to be retained

This is why:

• People sometimes respond to their name being spoken while asleep

• Children calm when a parent speaks softly at night

• Prayer, Scripture, or worship music often feels especially meaningful in the evening

This isn’t mystical, new age or speculative. It’s how God designed the brain and it is amazing!

And it means that what we hear as we fall asleep still reaches us. Not always as conscious memory, but as emotional and relational imprint.

Why Scripture Is Especially Suited for This Moment...

Scripture pairs naturally with this threshold between waking and sleep. The Bible is not written like a modern lecture or podcast. It often includes repetition, rhythm, imagery and themes of peace, trust, refuge, and protection. These qualities allow Scripture to be received rather than analyzed; especially when the mind is no longer in problem-solving mode.

People may not remember every word verbatim. But they often retain peace, safety, trust & surrender.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace,

for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” — Psalm 4:8

This does not mean Scripture is manipulating the subconscious or bypassing discernment. That idea is often overstated online.

But it is true that emotional tone and memory consolidation are influenced by what we hear. So allowing Scripture to be the final voice of the day is not new or experimental. It is very old.

Long before podcasts and audio Bibles, Christians marked the end of the day with prayer. In monastic communities, this took the form of Vespers and Compline. Evening prayers meant to close the day, entrust the night to God, and prepare the body and soul for rest.

These prayers often included scripture, blessing & silence. No explanation, no instruction, no stimulation. Just Scripture and trust. As You Lie Down is shaped by that tradition.

As You Lie Down is a Scripture-based bedtime podcast, created for the closing hours of the day.

Scripture is read without commentary.

There is no teaching.

No analysis.

No techniques.

No instructions meant to alter the mind or body.

This is not a form of meditation, manifestation, or subconscious conditioning. Nor is it psychological manipulation, brain training, or nervous-system optimization.

It is simply Scripture, spoken aloud and then allowed to remain unchallenged by noise.

Episodes follow a consistent and intentional rhythm, shaped by historic Christian evening prayer:

1. A brief opening invitation

2. Scripture read reverently and without explanation

3. At times, Scripture repeated

4. A final Scripture line

5. A closing blessing spoken softly: “Peace be with you.”

6. The voice fades, and gentle sound remains

Nothing is added after the Word, it's not needed.

The gentle sound at the end is not a feature to focus on. It exists only to prevent abrupt silence or sudden interruption, allowing the reading to conclude without startling the listener back into alertness. This mirrors ancient Christian practice. As I mentioned above, in traditions such as Vespers and Compline, Scripture was read, a blessing was spoken, and the night was entrusted to God…often followed by silence.

No attempt was made to control the mind, no effort was required to achieve a particular state. The posture was trusting God.

In a time where many people end their days overstimulated. Mindlessly scrolling, falling asleep to television or carrying anxious thoughts and unfinished conversations into rest. This podcast offers an alternative. Not by guiding, teaching, or manipulating but by placing Scripture at the close of the day and then stepping aside.

If a listener remains awake, they hear God’s Word. If a listener falls asleep, God’s Word has already been spoken. Nothing is lost.

This is not about achieving a feeling or a mental state. It is about ending the day under the sound of Scripture, in trust rather than effort. That is not New Age, nor is it modern. It is ancient and it is deeply Christian.

I pray this podcast blesses you. Peace be with you.

Listen on Apple Podcasts ---> HERE

or

Listen on Spotify ---> HERE

New Episodes come out every Tuesday & Friday Evening. The Spanish version COMING SOON!