The Netflix Science Doc That's Putting Everyone To Sleep

Ask people about their sleep habits and you'll likely get a varied list of anecdotal "This really works!" recommendations. For some, it's a glass of warm milk. For others, it's melatonin, white noise, a stiff drink, or "The Joy of Painting" (Bob Ross' voice can soothe our active mind like no other). Some say no television before bed, while others must have the ambient glow from their screen. Typically, a show that puts you to sleep reflects poorly on the production. A new series on Netflix, however, actually wants viewers to drift off into slumber.

Created by Vox Media Group and Headspace, an online company offering a meditation and guided relaxation app, "Headspace Guide to Sleep" is a seven-episode series with two goals in mind: myth-bust those various sleep recommendations and provide viewers with science-based strategies for a better night's sleep. The series' inaugural season tackles everything from lucid dreaming to the downside of ever-present technology.

Each episode of "Headspace Guide to Sleep" runs between 15 and 20 minutes and concludes with a guided "wind-down." The first episode, "How to Sleep Better," begins with an examination of how many hours are actually needed for a restful sleep — and how that number can change as we age. From there, narrator Eve Lewis Prieto, Headspace's director of meditation, pulls back the curtain on working out before bed (it's not as bad as most think) and pre-sleep alcohol consumption (sorry, folks, but that glass of wine isn't a great idea).

Prieto, whose serene voice could give Bob Ross a run for his money, then leads viewers through an 8-minute guided relaxation involving focused breathing. The series' visuals are simplistic animations, designed to soothe rather than stimulate. The dominant color scheme throughout the series is various shades of purple, which isn't surprising given the color's psychological link to stress reduction and tranquility.

"Headspace Guide to Sleep" is the second Netflix series from Vox and Headspace. The first, "Headspace Guide to Meditation," premiered earlier this year with Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe providing the narration. A third series is currently in the works, though its topic has not yet been announced. We have a feeling it will lower your stress level.