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20 Mindfulness Podcasts To Keep You Calm And Present

Mindfulness is an awareness of the present moment. To practice, we focus on sensations to ground our consciousness in our bodies in the present moment, usually through meditation. But if you are starting or need more meditation guidance, mindfulness podcasts can be your friend.

Mindfulness podcasts help you practice meditation and train you to keep your awareness in the present. They are great for people who can’t afford a meditation teacher or classes. 

In this article, we will explore six benefits of mindfulness meditation podcasts. We also have mindfulness podcast recommendations for all levels, durations, and walks of life. They are the best podcasts that offer tools and valuable insights to apply mindfulness to your daily routines. 

Related Read: What is mindfulness?

Benefits of Listening to Mindfulness Podcasts

woman wearing headphones listening to a mindfulness podcast
Photo by Samuel Rios on Unsplash

There’s a lot for you to gain from listening to mindfulness podcasts. These benefits are:

1. Your concentration and focus levels will increase.

Mindfulness podcasts can improve concentration and focus levels by reducing anxiety and depression. It can lower your blood pressure, reducing the strain on your heart. This reduction leads to better mental and physical health. 

Listening to a guided meditation podcast helps calm the mind and relax, thus sharpening your focus and increasing your attention span. It exceptionally benefits people diagnosed with ADHD1.

2. Mindfulness podcasts can reduce your anxiety, stress, and depression levels. 

Another benefit you stand to gain from listening to meditation podcasts is lower stress, anxiety, and depression levels. A mindfulness podcast reduces your body's stress levels by activating the body's stress response and calming the nervous system. Research shows it is as effective as a gold-standard antidepressant.

Read more: Heath benefits of mindfulness.

3. Mindfulness podcasts help improve your brain health.

Listening to mindfulness podcasts will help you stay mindful consistently. Consistently practicing mindfulness can change your brain structure2, according to a study conducted in 2019. The study watched for structural changes in the brain after a 40-day meditation program, and scientists confirmed the changes reduced depression and anxiety traits. 

Another study conducted in 2020 shows practicing meditation and mindfulness reduces the rates of brain tissue loss. The researchers conducted the test on 50 mindfulness teachers across different age groups. They noticed minimal brain tissue loss in areas responsible for mood regulation, autonomic processing, and the integration of emotion and cognitive processes. 

4. Mindfulness podcasts help you enhance your self-awareness.

Mindfulness podcasts guide mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology. Listening to these podcasts encourages you to focus on your inner self and practice self-love. 

These mindfulness techniques assist you in creating a safe space to release stress, trauma, and anxiety. You will learn more about your shortcomings and forgive yourself by creating space for yourself.

5. Your sleep quality will increase. 

As someone who struggles with insomnia or sleep restlessness, mindfulness podcasts will help you immensely. Listening to sleep meditation podcasts helps release the day's stress and anxieties. You'll become more relaxed and slowly drift to sleep as you listen. It is hard to ignore the allure of calm storytelling. 

6. Pain and disease management

Research conducted on the role of mindfulness in cancer shows that mindfulness is an adequate form of pain management in cancer patients3. It reduces stress, pain, and fatigue. It reduces muscle and fat loss during the late stages of disease. Listening to mindfulness podcasts as an ill person also provides comfort for caregivers. 

20 Best Mindfulness Podcasts And Why You Should Listen To Them

1. Tara Brach Meditation Podcast 

Tara Brach is a wellness teacher and author. Her podcast focuses on mindfulness meditation practices that will improve your well-being. She addresses the importance of mindfulness practice and self-compassion in stress relief by releasing a new episode weekly, lasting 20 minutes to an hour. 

These episodes are two various methods of mindfulness and meditation: guided meditations and conversations surrounding spirituality. 

Tara Brach's podcast will soothe the nerves, thus allowing you to be more present in the moment. She also holds teachings with other experts and teachers. In these episodes, they explore ways mindfulness practice relieves anxiety. Tara Brach’s podcast episodes are a calm means to improve your mental health. 

Some episodes also offer Buddhist teachings to those seeking spiritual enlightenment. You can listen to Tara Brach's podcast on platforms like Spotify, Apple podcasts, and YouTube.  

2. The Mindful Minute 

Photo Credit: The Mindful Minute

Meryl Arnett created the Mindful Minute podcast to help people learn the proper ways of mindfulness and meditation practices. Some people can't meditate because their thoughts are a distraction, while some have difficulties with their breathing techniques. Breathing is a significant part of meditation and other contemplative practices. 

In 30 to 60 minutes, The Mindful Minute podcast will teach you how to work with your emotions by sharing helpful tools that aid boundary identification and establishment. Meryl Arnett also invites experts and scholars for interviews. An example is the Reverse Meditation episode with Andrew Holeck. 

Andrew Holeck is a Buddhist meditation teacher and author on themes like meditation, lucid dreaming, and non-dualism. The podcast also explores ways meditation improves mental health. The interview with Robyn Minefee helps put into perspective ways physical movement and breath work improve mental health therapy.

Robyn Minefee is a certified yoga instructor and licensed professional counselor in Georgia. You can listen to the Mindful Minute podcast on Spotify and Apple podcasts

3. Exploring Awareness 

Photo Credit: Exploring Awareness

Exploring Awareness is one of the best mindfulness meditation podcasts. It explores questions often asked by people looking to discover the deeper meaning of life. 

In under an hour, the podcast is excellent for beginner and experienced meditators, burned-out professors and students, and people interested in exploring the problems around sexual, gender, and racial identities. 

Created by Frank Anderson and Lisa Barry, the podcast discusses the importance of exploring your awareness. Unfor. Unfortunately, it ended in December 2021 with the unexpected passing of Lisa. 

However, the podcast is still available on Google Podcast, Deezer, and Spotify for everyone to listen to. 

4. The Happiness Lab  

the happiness lab
Photo Credit: The Happiness Lab

The Happiness Lab is a mindfulness podcast of Dr. Laurie Santos, a professor at Yale, discussing the science of happiness. The podcast has six seasons that span discussions on methods to integrate mindful living into our daily lives. 

She uses scientific research to teach us ways to practice Mindfulness and meditation. She explores the lessons on happiness in ancient Greece with anger counselor Dr. Faith Harper. Acknowledging the impact of anger in your life is a significant way of achieving satisfaction in your own life. Dr. Laurie Santos explores anger development and how to deal with it. 

She has podcast episodes discussing how to stop negative self-criticism with mindfulness exercises (i.e., breathing techniques). Other episodes explore the impacts of silence, money, psychedelics, and spiritual awakening on happiness.

If you have around 30 minutes to spare, listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Pushkin

5. Daily Meditation Podcast  

daily meditation podcast
Photo Credit: Daily Meditation Podcast

Mary Meckly created the Daily Meditation podcast to relieve anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. The podcast has over a thousand episodes, and she releases new episodes daily. The meditations range between 9 minutes to 30 minutes. 

Daily meditation podcast covers the art of self-care mediation techniques, social anxiety mindfulness exercises, and other topics that promote positive psychology. She usually divides a podcast topic into a series. It is a great mindfulness podcast you can listen to to make your everyday life less overwhelming. 

She also recommends herbs and tools that improve your physical and mental health. It follows a weekly theme, splitting the topic into a six or seven-day series. Every week, she issues techniques and challenges that will add consistency to your mindfulness practices. Listen on Spotify now. 

6. Ten Percent Happier 

On Ten Percent Happier, Dan Harris talks with meditation teachers and top scientists about the importance of mindfulness and meditation. He ventured into a mindfulness podcast after a panic attack on Good Morning America while anchoring the show. Then, Dan Harris was a Journalist for ABC News.

Ten Percent Happier releases two new episodes weekly, an average length of 60 minutes. You can listen on YouTube, Google Podcast, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Dan’s podcast covers the tools used to deal with distractions and getting out of your head.

In various episodes, Dan Harris encourages you to live a simple and easy life. He inspires you to remember your goodness and see yourself compassionately. Being kind to ourselves is crucial to catering to our emotional health and well-being. It is one of the best mindfulness podcasts on mindful living. You can also listen on Ten Percent Happier's website

7. Meditation Minis  

meditation minis
Photo Credit: Meditation Minis

Meditation Minis mindfulness podcast is a series of short guided meditations. It is one of the best mindfulness podcasts for people looking to increase their mental focus, confidence, and self-awareness. Chel Hamilton’s voice will slowly guide you through your mindfulness exercises, helping you release stress and anxiety. 

The episodes are usually 12 minutes long or less. It makes it easy to integrate mindfulness into your daily life. Listening to an episode of the meditation minis podcast will draw you into deep relaxation as you exist in the present moment. The podcast explores the more profound sense of calmness in the mind. 

It is one of the best mindfulness podcasts for people with trouble sleeping, anxiety, and chronic stress. It teaches you to maintain balance in the present moment, preventing you from giving in to thoughts and emotions that affect your well-being negatively. You can listen to a guided meditation episode on the Spotify and Audible websites. 

8. Rubin Museum Meditation podcast 

rubin museum meditation podcast
Photo Credit: Rubin Museum Meditation podcast

Rubin Museum of Art is an art exhibition center that produces meditation podcasts based on artworks in their gallery. The weekly theme is usually about the art piece exhibited during the week. 

The host, Sharon Salzberg, collaborates with mindfulness practitioners from the New York Insight Meditation Center. Each episode has an average of 30 minutes. 

Rubin Museum Mindfulness podcast is one of the best mindfulness podcasts for people who enjoy meditative stories. An art enthusiast will enjoy the mindful podcast because various artworks inspire every meditative story told. It helps you ground yourself and find a balance between the present moment and your creative chaos. You can listen on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Website

9. Mindful Mama 

Hunter Clarke-Fields created the Mindful Mama podcast for mothers. Parenting isn’t an easy task. It often throws mothers into a constant state of stress and disarray. It is one of the best mindfulness podcasts for parents because it acknowledges true and heartfelt experiences of parenthood. 

Some episodes offer insights and tools that make practicing mindfulness accessible to mothers, while others offer parenting advice. The topics discussed range from bringing your kids into the kitchen to helping ADHD with nutrients. She also collaborates with other experts, professionals, and mindfulness teachers to produce new episodes weekly. 

You can access Mindful Mama's 400+ one-hour episodes on their website or Google podcasts. As a parent, you must learn mindfulness and meditation. It improves your capabilities and helps you show up for your kids as the best version of yourself. 

10. Untangle  

untangle
Photo Credit: Untangle

Untangle is a mindfulness podcast for people brimming with curiosity about the intricacies of life. In 30 to 45 minutes, the podcast features insights, personal stories, and expertise from authors, thought leaders, psychologists, and neuroscientists. It also includes neuroscientists, nutritionists, and meditation teachers. 

They have episodes with Oliver Nino, an author and energy healer, and Dr. Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). There are also episodes with the somatic leadership coach, psychologist, and mindfulness teacher Chris John and Dr. Molly Maloof. 

Untangle focuses on unraveling the problems behind our inability to show ourselves compassion. Self-compassion improves every aspect of our mental and physical health. The podcast encourages self-love and personal development. They also explore the science behind mindfulness, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness. Listen to the inspirational talk on Spotify

11. Anxiety Slayer 

anxiety slayer
Photo Credit: Anxiety Slayer

Anxiety Slayer is a mindful podcast for people suffering from anxiety, stress, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is one of the best podcasts for people with social anxiety disorder, autism, and other mental health disorders. 

Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer created Anxiety Slayer to provide tools, tips, and practices to manage stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. Some people's minds are in a hyper state where they experience everything as potential danger. It causes the mind and the entire nervous system to become exhausted. 

This perpetual state of exhaustion leaks into every part of our lives- relationships with people and professional careers. Shann and Ananga release new episodes every Friday. In these 10 to 30-minute episodes, they invite experts and mindfulness practitioners to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise on various topics. 

You can listen on their website and Spotify. Anxiety Slayer also offers online courses on managing anxiety and stress. 

12. Peace Out 

peace out
Photo Credit: Peace Out

Children also experience anxiety, stress, and other negative, intense emotions. Peace Out is one of the best mindfulness podcasts dedicated to helping children overcome panic attacks and anxiety. It aims to help them learn self-regulation and socio-economic skills.  

Chanel Tsang created Peace Out guided meditations in 2017 for parents and educators looking to introduce social and emotional learning to children. She is a mindfulness and yoga teacher, Montessori educator, and family support practitioner. Peace Out offers practical tools through storytelling. 

Each episode is a story with a socio-economic skill theme paired with guided meditation and yoga exercises. Each episode is an average of 15 minutes. Chanel Tsang understands that children learn better through stories. So she tells stories using an emotional skill like empathy as the theme and guides them through meditation techniques that teach them to be aware of the present moment. 

You can listen on the website or Spotify. Peace Out releases new episodes bi-weekly. You can easily include it in your child's nighttime routine. 

13. Meditation Oasis   

Meditation Oasis is one of the meditation podcasts for people living with illnesses and chronic pain. It is a series of guided meditations to help ill people release their fears and anxiety. The Meditation Oasis podcast teaches people with ill health to process their pain and hold a mindful moment for themselves. 

These episodes are available to guide you back to sleep when you have trouble going back to sleep. They help you release and relax tension from your body. Meditation Oasis encourages people to explore feelings they are unsure of and scared of. Grounding and breathwork work is a crucial aspect of the podcast. 

Meditation Oasis has an app that contains a short version of meditation courses. You can listen on the website or get the Meditation Oasis app from your app store. 

14. Audio Dharma  

Audio Dharma is an archive of mindfulness and meditation podcasts. Gil Fronsdal, Andrea Fella, and other Insight Meditation Center speakers host dharma talks with other guest speakers. Audio Dharma is the right podcast for people interested in Buddhist teachings. 

They often release over three new episodes weekly. These episodes offer valuable insights into mindfulness meditation. They offer guided meditations on various themes like being true to oneself, conscious kindness, stillness, and movement in the mind. 

In 10 to 60 minutes, Audio Dharma will teach you how to recognize and discard unwholesome thoughts. They also offer an introductory series for people new to mindfulness meditation. This series covers breathing techniques and meditation postures. 

Listen to their website to get the most out of the wide range of mindfulness meditation Audio Dharma offers.

15. Black Girl Meditates 

black girl meditates
Photo Credit: Black Girl Meditates

Black Girl Meditates is a mindfulness meditation podcast dedicated to black-American women. Rickisa Owens hosts the podcast to improve mental health and achieve the benefits of applying mindfulness to your daily life. 

This mindfulness podcast encourages black women to avoid self-criticism and embrace their imperfections. Rickisa leads breathing exercises with her soft, calm voice, sending her listeners into the warm embrace of the present moment in less than 40 minutes. 

You listen to Black Girl Meditates on Spotify or Apple podcasts when you need reassurance. Integrate it into your morning or nighttime routines to be consistent with practicing mindfulness. 

16. Get Sleepy 

get sleepy
Photo Credit: Get Sleepy

Next on our recommendations for mindfulness meditation podcasts is Get Sleepy. Get Sleepy is a mindfulness podcast aimed at improving your sleeping patterns. To make this happen, a creative team of writers, voiceover artists, and meditation experts work together with sleep experts. 

With Tom Jones hosting the episodes, you get two new episodes weekly, ranging from 30 to 60 minutes. Tom tells us unique stories that calm the mind, helping you relax into a sleepy state. You can hear stories like A Lazy Drive Through the Kruger National Park and the Forest Fairies of Cantabria on the website or Spotify

Get Sleepy has won awards for being the best podcast for sleep meditation. It won the Tuck.com First Bedtime Story Podcast and one of the best podcasts in 2020 by Esquire. 

17. On Being 

On Being is a mindfulness podcast that explores the science of the mind, the truth of the body, and the wild mystery of the human spirit. It is a platform for voices of wisdom. Krista Tippet, the founder of On Being, collaborates with experts and research scientists to address pressing issues impacting our mindfulness. 

In one-hour-long conversations, she explores the links between mindfulness and a person's daily life activities through art, science, poetry, and social healing. On Being podcast has the Peabody Award to show for its impact on the community. 

Listening to it on Audible, Spotify, and onbeing.com will equip you with tools and knowledge to aid your personal growth. 

18. Soul Sistas Sleep Meditations

soul sistas sleep meditations
Photo Credit: Soul Sistas Sleep Meditations

Soul Sistas Sleep Meditations is another mindfulness podcast for black and indigenous women. This podcast will help you reconnect with your inner mind, body, and soul. Reconnecting with yourself through these 15 to 30-minute weekly guided meditations will give you a good night's rest, refreshed in the morning. 

Soul Sistas Sleep Meditations teaches you the art of releasing and letting go of the emotions and expectations that no longer serve you. It encourages you to create a safe internal space for self-acceptance and love. Listen to these uplifting episodes on Spotify.  

19. Mindfulness Mode  

mindfulness mode
Photo Credit: Mindfulness Mode

The Mindfulness Mode podcast aims to increase the calmness, focus, and happiness you experience. It is a podcast hosted by Bruce Langford for educators, entrepreneurs, and parents. 

He invites experts like Gregory Copploe, Dani Forrest, and Laura Renner to offer valuable insights to improve our lives and careers. 

Mindfulness Mode is the right podcast for you if you are interested in business. You'll learn about three elements of mindfulness: to be still, to be aware, and to breathe. You can apply these mindfulness techniques to lessen your worries and anxiety. Listen on Spotify and the website.

Related read: Breathe Quotes.

20. Mindfulness Exercises 

mindfulness exercise
Photo Credit: Mindfulness Exercises

Sean Fargo founded Mindfulness Exercises in 2014 to offer free mindfulness tools. He invites experts like Chris Germer, clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. It is the podcast for you if you want to improve your mindfulness for better well-being and personal development. 

The Mindfulness Exercises podcast invites you to explore the feelings of gladness, fear, annoyance, self-love, and frustration. You'll learn the importance of being present as the emotions rise without any reaction from you. The podcast also deals with how therapy evolves.  

You can listen to these life-changing episodes on the website or Spotify. Expect new episodes every week. 

How often should you listen to mindfulness podcasts? 

You can set your listening frequency to mindfulness podcasts based on your schedules and comfort levels. It would help to give yourself time to absorb and process the information you got from listening. 

As a beginner, you can listen to one episode every week. It gives you enough to process and assimilate information to help improve your mindfulness practice. You can tune in more frequently- two to three episodes per week, as you become more comfortable listening to mindfulness podcasts. 

However, remember to pace yourself to avoid overwhelming yourself. Mindfulness podcasts aim to disperse the overwhelming feeling of anxiety and stress. Putting pressure on yourself defeats the purpose. 

The frequency at which you listen to each episode doesn't matter. It's the quality of attention you use to listen that matters.

Related: Like these? You might also like our selection of mindfulness talks.

Conclusion: Mindfulness Podcasts

Life can be very chaotic and stressful. We tend to lose our awareness and presence to our fears, worries, anxiety, and other intense emotions. However, we must bring ourselves to our bodies and experience the present moment. Regular mindfulness practice will help you achieve a  meaningful life. 

Listening to our list of recommended mindfulness podcasts will help you achieve it. These podcasts will lead you to a whole new world filled with knowledge and guidance from experts in various fields. 

1

Mitchell, J. T., Zylowska, L., & Kollins, S. H. (2015). Mindfulness Meditation Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adulthood: Current Empirical Support, Treatment Overview, and Future Directions. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.

2

Yang, C. C., Barrós-Loscertales, A., Li, M., Pinazo, D., Borchardt, V., Ávila, C., & Walter, M. (2019). Alterations in Brain Structure and Amplitude of Low-frequency After 8 Weeks of Mindfulness Meditation Training in Meditation-Naïve Subjects. Scientific Reports. 

3

Mehta, R., Sharma, K., Potters, L., Wernicke, A. G., & Parashar, B. (2019). Evidence for the Role of Mindfulness in Cancer: Benefits and Techniques. Cureus.

Jen’s a passionate environmentalist and sustainability expert. With a science degree from Babcock University Jen loves applying her research skills to craft editorial that connects with our global changemaker and readership audiences centered around topics including zero waste, sustainability, climate change, and biodiversity.

Elsewhere Jen’s interests include the role that future technology and data have in helping us solve some of the planet’s biggest challenges.

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