💀 This true crime podcast puts you to sleep

Presented by Simplecast

😖 Follow the Pain and You’ll Find the Answer

We’re wired to avoid pain, especially in creative work. We procrastinate, we overcomplicate, we check email instead of tackling the part of the episode outline that makes us sweat.

The irony? That knot in your stomach is the compass.

In podcasting, the “pain” might be the scene you keep skipping in the edit, the question you’re scared to ask your guest, or the theme you’re avoiding because it hits too close to home. The resistance you feel is proof there’s something worth pushing through.

The pain is the path. Follow it.

🎙️ Signal Flow: Nancy Miller

Industry game changers and valiant minds share their wisdom, adversities, and paths to innovation.

Nancy Miller is a veteran journalist and host/creator of Dead Sleep: True Crime for Bedtime, a mindful mystery podcast made for sleeping. Before launching Dead Sleep in 2023, Nancy hosted and produced podcasts with Audible, HBO Max, Knowable, and Pineapple Street Studios. Nancy's work has earned a Webby award, Signal award, two National Magazine Awards with Dead Sleep a current finalist for the 2025 Clue Awards in outstanding true crime podcasting. Nancy lives in Los Angeles.

Editor’s note: The following interview has been edited for flow and clarity.

Dead Sleep isn’t for everyone. But if it’s for you, it’s definitely for you.

I didn’t set out to create a mashup of true crime and bedtime storytelling. But as an insomniac, a longtime crime journalist, and a fan of the genre, I knew there was space for a show that could deliver intrigue without adrenaline spikes. Dead Sleep was born out of necessity.

One night, I ran out of Keith Morrison episodes for Dateline. I thought, why not tell the kinds of stories I love in a way people can actually drift off to?

From the start, I made some rules: no graphic violence, no screaming 911 calls, and no advertising. I’m not going to tell you a story about murder and then try to sell you a mattress.

The show is personal. I write for myself and for my listeners, people I see as collaborators. It’s reciprocity. I’m in this with you, you’re in this with me. We’re doing this together.

The show’s origin is tied to a personal turning point: losing both my parents within six months. Life is short. I told myself, stop putting this on the back burner. Just make the show.

I avoid sensational cases in favor of overlooked gems, often highlighting the work of masterful true crime writers.

My most popular episode isn’t even about murder. It’s a medical mystery called The Girl Who Wasn’t There, about a misdiagnosed woman whose life is reclaimed. That story affirmed my belief that people aren’t just here for gore or fear. They want connection.

Listener feedback has shaped the show in ways I didn’t expect. Early on, I layered in music and effects, partly to cover editing glitches. But fans wanted my voice front and center. That’s how the Dead Sleep Naked episodes were born. No music, no effects, just me telling the story.

The pacing is deliberate, designed to fatigue the listener just enough to lull them to rest. I’ll wander into deeply detailed side paths, like how a catalytic converter works, with meditative music underneath. People are out like that. Even my audio engineer falls asleep mixing.

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Success, for me, isn’t measured in downloads. It’s sustainability. My dream is to have enough subscribers to hire a fact checker and make Dead Sleep my sole focus.

My deep, resonant voice, something I used to be self-conscious about, is now a signature. I write scripts to suit it, delivering serious topics with a touch of pleasure in the telling. There’s no character work, no swearing, no sharp tonal shifts. Just a steady, dreamlike ride through the details of a story.

You don’t need a million people. The market may feel saturated, but there’s still room. You just need a thousand who love what you do. Make the best show you can, and they’ll find you.

I keep Dead Sleep fiercely independent. I have no interest in joining a network or handing over creative control. This is my baby, I’m not putting a QR code on my baby. I run the entire operation myself, hiring out only for final mixing and music.

It’s a grind. Each finished minute takes about an hour to produce. But it’s mine.

I’m not here to solve cases. I’m here to solve someone’s case of insomnia. And with more than 100 story ideas waiting in a document, I’m just getting started.

🎧 Podcast of the Week: Cautionary Tales

Hosted by Tim Harford, Cautionary Tales is a masterclass in turning real-life missteps into riveting, often surprising stories. It’s part fable, part forensic investigation, and completely addictive.

🥾 Further Exploration: Are vodcasts the future, or just “crap telly”?

As podcasts go visual, are we entering a golden age of storytelling? Or just adding cameras to conversations? The Guardian takes a sharp, funny look at the rise of vodcasts, exploring why your favorite show might now be on video and whether that’s a creative leap or “crap telly.”

ICYMI:

🧠 Bryan Barletta is building a smarter podcast industry

🏆 A 2x World Cup champ just changed the podcast playbook

🤯 Arielle Nissenblatt’s surprising take on podcast consistency

💡 The Quiet Spark

A weekly question to ignite fresh thinking, stir self-reflection, and fuel your creative process behind the mic.

If your podcast were a photograph, what would be in the frame? And what would be just out of view?