Like many people I have a tv in my bedroom and I find that often I can’t go to sleep without it on. Nevertheless, it takes the right show to help me drift off into a restful, dreamlike state. If a show has a lot of flickering, explosions, annoying noises or too many commercials, falling asleep with the tv on is damn near next to impossible. So, I’ve spent many a night finding the best shows that help me wind down after a hectic day.

Here is my totally non-scientifically tested list of my favorite shows to fall asleep to:

1. Anything on the NASA channel [NASA Channel]
If there is an active Space Shuttle mission (like now), watching the NASA channel is reminiscent of being in the ambient room at a rave in 1994. During planned sleep time while the astronauts are tucked into their cocoons, you are presented with a view of Earth from orbit on the International Space Station. Sometimes twenty minutes will go by between the time when an announcer explains minutiae about the mission in a whispered tone. Usually I’m not even awake for more than twenty minutes with the NASA channel on so this is definitely the winner. Plus, the NASA channel is just cool. Crash point: 15 minutes.

2. Cash In The Attic [BBC America]
If you’ve ever been to the UK, you know that they will put anything on television there. Like snooker for 9 hours on a Saturday. And if you’re bored with that, you can probably change to one of the other 4 channels and watch Cash In The Attic. Luckily, the programming geniuses at BBC America thought that Americans were finally ready for the action-packed powerhouse that is Cash In The Attic. For the uninitiated, CITA is like Antiques Roadshow in reverse – instead of you bringing your junk to the appraisers, they come to your house and look through your junk and then sell it for you at an auction (in the UK they say ‘at auction’). The participants try to raise money for a particular event or cause such as remodeling their bathroom or throwing a retirement party. The show flows really well and the experts are truly packed with information so you definitely learn a bunch of totally useless facts about somebody else’s crap. Crash point: midway through the auction.

3. Antiques Roadshow (UK/American versions) [PBS/BBC America]
Watching both the UK and American versions of Antiques Roadshow exposes some glaring differences between the two programs: 1) Things in the UK are really, really old; Antiques in the UK are not just things your grandma had, they are like before electricity old. 2) The US version places way more emphasis on the valuation, because all Americans care about is filthy, dirty money. 3) Antiques Roadshow UK flaunts their oldness in the US’s face by hosting the show at magnificently restored 12th century castles with elaborate gardens while we host ours at places like the Dubuque Convention Center or the Mariner Ballroom at the Baltimore Hyatt. Screw you Antiques Roadshow UK! You know what we have that is really old? All the land that we took from you after kicking your ass in 1776! But I digress… Both shows are great to fall asleep to as pretty much all they do is flip over an old bowl or open an old watch but I think the UK version actually wins out as the music is a bit more peaceful. If you can find the UK version on PBS you are sorted (note the UK slang) as there are no commercials. The US version often has really cool Native American artifacts, but those are actually interesting so you might not fall asleep as fast. Crash point: UK Version: when they break away to give you a tour of the castle; US Version: when they break away to tour some boring craft museum

4. Various Space Shows [Science Channel/Discovery/NGC]
Shows about the origin of the universe are awesome because you get to see amazingly beautiful visualizations of traveling through space, black holes, supernovae and Neil DeGrasse Tyson. These visualizations are so sophisticated now that they really help you feel like you are flying through space which is perfect to help you drift off into never-never land. Nevertheless, you will find that there is such a thing as too much Michio Kaku. Some of these shows include: The Universe, Naked Science, and How The Earth Was Made but the all-time winner is Cosmos which they have now upgraded with new computer animations. Thankfully, they kept the 80′s ambient music for the bits when Carl Sagan is in his spacecraft, floating through the solar system and beyond. Cosmos was better on PBS with no commercials but I’m glad they brought it back, just so I can relax and fall asleep. Crash point: floating through the asteroid belt

5. Blue Planet: Seas of Life [Discovery]
Sir Richard Attenborough’s voice is reminiscent of your grandfather telling you an amazing story from his childhood; the only difference is your grandfather had no idea what he was talking about. With Blue Planet, the fluid motions of sea creatures and languidly flowing vegetation on the sea floor put you to sleep like a baby on a road trip. Deep sea scenes are especially good as the sea is almost pitch black except for the bioluminescence of the fantastical creatures found miles below the surface. Add in some soothing whale calls and you’ll be 20,000 leagues under your covers in no time. Crash point: dolphins

6. Forensic Files [tru TV]
Only a narrator as good as Peter Thomas could make grisly beatings, dismemberment, high velocity blood spatter, brutal stabbings, bloated corpses, morgues, autopsies, decapitation, violent rape, attempted suicide, gunshot wounds, human skulls, arsenic poisoning, exhumed graves, rigor mortis, blunt-force trauma, drowning, fractured bones, cyanide, ice picks, skull fractures, carotid arteries, coagulation, bone fragments, industrial accidents, suffocation, shallow graves, crushed pelvises and exploding brain matter sound like a soft lullaby on marshmallow clouds. Crash point: just before the case goes to trial

7. Charlie Rose [PBS]
Charlie Rose is a bad ass. He’s got the most respected talk show on TV, he played basketball for North Carolina in college and he’s probably the only person in the nation with a southern drawl who sounds intelligent. Even if you were planning to crash out on a long-haul flight and Charlie Rose sat next to you, you would stay up just to talk to him. He just exudes cool and gets all the heavy hitters on his show. That said, you actually have to pay attention to get anything out of it so if you are even a little bit tired and you turn the volume to just above audible, it’s like two old guys whispering in the next room. Unlike most things on television, there are no visual cues, fancy graphics or heart-wrenching music to tell you what to feel. It’s just a black background and an old wood table and some people talking. In fact, I’m falling asleep just describing it. Crash point: ‘Back in a moment…stay with us’ Nope.