For some people, the idea of sleeping with a TV blaring across the room is something they can’t imagine. But for others, movies are a comforting undercurrent that allows them to relax and drift off.
Sometimes it’s nice to have something playing in the background as your eyes fall heavy and you find yourself drifting off.
If you’re finding sleep difficult, this can be a great way to keep you company until you’re ready to sleep.
There are a lot of different movies to choose from in this day and age, but if you’re looking for some movies to sleep to, you might be struggling to pick the best ones!
If this sounds like you – don’t worry! We’re here to help! In this article, we’re going to be outlining the 10 best movies to fall asleep to. We’ve made sure to include a range of different genres, and included a few perfect for different age ranges.
Best For Kids
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox
This Wes Anderson movie based on the Roald Dahl book is becoming a cult classic and a fan favorite for kids.
Its slick, stop-motion style, bright tone, and hilarious jokes make it a perfect movie to relax and switch off to. The plot revolves around a fox trying to steal from three particularly nasty farmers, who in turn try to catch him and his family.
If you’re looking for something easy and calm then this is a great pick. It’s also very well made, so if you find yourself unable to sleep you’ll be able to focus in amazement and the amount of detail that went into making it.
2. Finding Nemo
This is arguably the most popular and well-received movie from Disney Pixar, and there’s nothing more comforting than something you’ve likely seen a dozen times before.
Finding Nemo is the story of a fish trying to find his son, Nemo after he is caught by humans and trapped in an aquarium.
This is a hilarious movie with some really gorgeous visuals and feel-good scenes. It’s also a little bit of a tear-jerker, so hopefully you fall asleep before you get to the end!
3. Monsters, Inc
Another Pixar movie here, and a perfect mix of comedy, gorgeous visuals, hilarious characters, and a perfect, calming soundtrack.
The score here is going to be a perfect accompaniment to sleep, and the familiarity and bright tone of this movie will be perfect to allow you to drift off.
It’s also one of the funniest and craziest Pixar movies, taking place in a world where monsters go to work, slip into the human world to scare children, and absorb their screams that power their society.
The only downside here is that there is a bit of screaming in this movie, so you might want to turn the volume down a little.
4. Spirited Away
For the last movie in our kid’s section, we have a Studio Ghibli classic, and the first one of their movies to really break through to western audiences. Studio Ghibli makes gorgeous animations and this movie is one of their absolute best.
It tells the story of a little girl who, after her parents are turned into pigs, finds herself trapped and forced to work in a bathhouse for spirits.
With the gentle piano score, colorful visuals, and 2-hour runtime, this is a nostalgic movie that will be a great comfort to you as you’re drifting off.
Best For Adults
5. (500) Days Of Summer
We’re going to start off our adult section with a very famous movie that is very different from other romantic comedies you may have seen.
Told in a non-linear way, this story shows a relationship going through many stages.
It’s sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and sometimes heart-breaking, but with great performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, it’s a great movie to casually watch as you relax and prepare for sleep.
6. Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Chances are you’ve seen StarWars before. This first installment of the series is a great comfort movie to watch that will lull you into sleep.
It follows a galaxy in turmoil under the vice-grip of an evil empire and a young boy named Luke who learns to become a lightsabre wielding Jedi-Knight.
It’s fairly long, and with great visuals and one of the most memorable scores in film history, it’s a great choice for you to watch as you go to sleep.
7. Superbad
If you want a light-hearted teen comedy, then your best bet is probably going to be superbad.
Featuring Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, and Michael Cerra, this movie is a classic for a reason. It tells the story of three high-school seniors who are looking to buy alcohol to impress a group of girls at a party.
It’s pretty funny from start to finish, and even better with multiple viewings.
As far as teen comedies go, this is one of the absolute best. It’s launched the careers of Jonah Hill, Michael Cerra, and Seth Rogan. It was written by the latter and he started work on it when he was just 15 years old.
The attention and care that they put into this movie are obvious, making it stand out from other movies of the same genre. Plus it’s just funny, and doesn’t delve into material that is difficult or too dark.
If you’re into teen comedies it’s likely one you’ve seen before, making it a great pick to have on in the background whilst you sleep.
8. Dune
This is one of the newest movies on this list, and only one for you to pick if you’re alright with something long and action-packed. At 2 hours and 25 minutes of runtime, this sci-fi blockbuster is going to give you a lot of time to relax and unwind.
Dune tells the story of the Atreides family, who are assigned governance over the desert planet Arrakis.
Expect a lot of thrills, somber desert music and deep character development over the course of this movie. It’s also got some striking space vistas that will help you to chill out and drift off to sleep.
There are some rather loud parts of this movie though, so you run the risk of falling asleep early and waking up at a more exciting point. We’d generally recommend keeping the volume low for this if you’re a light sleeper.
9. Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Now we know we’re cheating a little here as this is three movies instead of one, but if you’re really struggling with sleep and need something long and sweeping to keep you company, this is a great pick.
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy consists of three movies: the Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
Each installment is extremely long (especially if you go for the extended editions that many fans believe are the superior cuts), and offers everything you could want from an epic fantasy series.
Based on the books of the same name by the legendary grandfather of fantasy fiction J.R.R Tolkien, the Lord of the Rings tells the story of a small, sheltered hobbit who has to go on a quest to destroy the one ring of power, that will defeat the dark lord Sauron and bring peace to Middlearth.
If you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings the soundtrack alone will be enough to lull you into a comforting sleep. You can also go for the hobbit trilogy here, but they’re generally thought of as sub-par in comparison.
10. Bridget Jones’s Diary
To finish our list we’ve gone for a classic movie that is easy to watch and unwind to. It follows a year in the life of the loveable and fairly hilarious Bridget Jones as she tries to improve herself and search for love, all through way of her diary entries.
It’s a great British movie featuring Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. As far as chick-flicks go, this one has some of the best jokes you’ll find and a realistic tone that doesn’t patronize you.
It’s a great one to watch if you want something you won’t have to think too deeply about, whilst still managing to be engaging and well-written.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a movie to watch to fall to sleep with can be difficult. With so many options out there now, you can find yourself forever sitting in front of the TV, stuck with too many choices at hand.
If your real intention is to sleep, it’s probably best to find something that you’ve already seen, else you run the risk of staying up late, excited to find out what happens next.
We hope that our list has given you some ideas of movies you can fall asleep to and that you’re on your way to having a peaceful night’s rest!
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