The Five Best Podcasts that will Lower Your Anxiety

Two Years ago, when I was having a panic attack while driving, I realized that listening to the sound of someone talk can really help ease me off the ledge. I was driving home from Thomas College and it was sleeting and one of my co-workers/master buddies began telling a story about something from her childhood. I don’t think she knew how much she was helping me, but she kept her voice exactly the same volume, the same intonation all through the drive home and in addition to the deep breaths I was gulping down, I began to feel my heart return to a normal rhythm. This was a huge takeaway for me. Driving in bad weather has always been a gigantic anxiety trigger and now I had realized a new treatment that didn’t involve any meds or being hit over the head with a shovel.

This led me to my next AHA moment. I was running with my best girl who began telling me about a podcast that she listened too. I usually showed up to our runs listening to SHOOP or rapping Big Pimpin, so I decided to explore the world of podcasts. I was late to the game, per usual, but it turns out I loved Podcasts. It makes sense, I love books, I am a storyteller and here were all these celebrities, stuck in quarantine and ready to tell their stories. I began listening to podcasts when I felt overwhelmed at work, when I had a fight with my husband, when I was taking my dogs on long walks, when my pre-teen became too much drama and most importantly, when I felt a huge load of anxiety that I just couldn’t unload. I have explored several podcasts and I have narrowed it down to a list of five favorites and these can be listened by anyone, you don’t have to like books or even like people.

My first go-to is the Office Ladies.

Because well of course. I have listened to every single episode and consider myself to be best friends with Angela and Jenna. They are rehashing every single episode of the best show on the planet and I am here for it! The episodes are light hearted and can usually be listened to with kids in the car. John Krasinki even makes a guest appearance and sounds even nicer in person than I had pictured in my mind.

My second favorite is True Crime All the Time.

This one is for adult ears only, but the two hosts Mike and Gibby have THE MOST soothing voices of anyone on the planet. I know they are talking about women who chopped off their husbands head with a machete, but the WAY that they describe, makes your shoulders just relax a little, it really takes off some of the pressure and grime of the day. Although I work with kids all day, I find crime to be incredibly interesting and they always have a backstory for the murderer, which typically comes down to Mommy or Daddy issues. This is a must listen, for people who have crime obsessions like myself.

The third pick is ArmChair Expert with Dax Shepard.

Dax Shepard is a mountain of a man, but he is also REAL and vulnerable, which is my favorite quality in any human and something I strive to be everyday. He interviews my favorite celebrities, but also politicians, writers and athletes. He touches on racism, sexism and everything in between, but you also feel like you are shooting the shit with your hairdresser. I LOVE IT. My favorite episodes have his wife on there, because she makes the episode that much more delicious, but I haven’t listened to one guest that I didn’t get a takeaway from. Love this one, as it is the perfect smoothie for serious and silly to distract yourself from what is keeping you up at night.

My fourth pick is called Teacher Needs a Drink.

I like this one, because it is like I am venting even when I am not. There are four or five teachers on this and I think they work in Texas from their conversations, but they use fun fake names so no one can figure out who is behind the mic doing the real bitchin. When I listen to them go on about teaching in the pandemic, I find myself nodding my head, or tapping my feet in agreement to what they are saying. I also think it saves my co-workers and family from listening to me gripe about what a year I am going through. After I finish a half-an-hour episode, I feel like I just left the door of an awesome therapist.

My newest addiction in podcast land is titled Smartless.

This one is fairly new in comparison to the others. It is led by Jason Bateman, Will Arnette and Sean Hayes. The premise is that one of these lads will bring a guest onto the show and the other two chaps won’t know who it is and then they will ask mind boggling or idiotic questions to the guest of the hour. Sean is the kind one of the group which a good trio always needs and he always satiates the ego of the celebrity being interviewed. Will is the sarcastic one, bordering on careless with some of his humor. Jason is well, how do I describe. Jason has the voice of an angel. The listener instantly trusts him, because he talks so quickly and with such confidence, that you don’t know if you are being hypnotized or trained for some kind of invisible warfare. If you haven’t watched Ozark yet, first of all I”m sorry. Secondly, something is wrong with you. And thirdly, once you see Jason wear a pair of pants, you will want nothing more to do with men who work out ten times a day. You will realize that men were made to wear pants tailored exactly the way Jason has them and to speak in circles in the kind of soothing up and down that he embodies. If you are new to this podcast, check out the Reese Witherspoon or Jen Anniston interviews, because they both put all three boys on their toes and that is my favorite kind of woman.

What about you? Does listening to podcasts lower your blood pressure? Do you have one that you love and would like to divulge? Please comment here or on my facebook page. I love a good medicinal listen.