There are many reasons to feel overwhelmed right now, and a steady diet of news podcasts may be exacerbating that mental state. If you need a break, these seven podcasts offer different kinds of pick-me-ups — including poetry interludes, comedic discussions of obscure trivia, and science-based tips on how to be happier.
‘Poetry Unbound’
Each episode of this soothing series is a self-contained exploration of a single poem, hosted by the Irish poet Pádraig Ó Tuama. First, Ó Tuama reads the poem out loud, before offering a thoughtful line-by-line reflection on its language, structure and possible interpretations, often incorporating stories from his decades of experience working in conflict mediation. Episodes are released twice weekly, and feature a variety of modern and classic poems. “Poetry Unbound” is a companion series to “On Being,” the award-winning interview show which explores the big questions of human existence. As such, it’s as much a meditative experience as a literary one, offering listeners a welcome reminder to slow down and focus closely.
Starter episode: “Oksana Maksymchuk — Arguments for Peace”
‘Good Hang With Amy Poehler’
In an era where every celebrity seems to have a podcast, it can be hard to figure out which A-list-hosted shows are actually worth the listen. “Good Hang,” the relaxed, talk show-style show from the “Saturday Night Live” alumna Amy Poehler, has been a joy ever since it started last spring. Listening often feels like eavesdropping on conversations between longtime friends and collaborators — guests have included Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig and Aubrey Plaza — and even when there isn’t a pre-existing relationship, Poehler has a knack for quickly establishing rapport. In keeping with the title’s promise, the tone is always warm and positive, and Poehler’s improv background makes for some great riffs.
Starter episode: “Michelle Obama”
‘The Anthropocene Reviewed’
Anthropocene is a scientifically divisive word to describe the “human age” we’re currently living in — a time where human intervention has supposedly transformed the natural world thoroughly enough to send the planet into a whole new epoch. Although experts officially rejected this idea two years ago, the concept makes a compelling subject in this enjoyably strange, thought-provoking series from the novelist John Green (“The Fault in our Stars”). In each episode, Green reviews different aspects of the world on a five-star scale, ranging from the mundane (the Taco Bell breakfast menu registers a 4 rating) to the sublime (sunsets gets a 5). The unpredictability of Green’s choices, and the unexpected ways they’re combined within a single episode, is a huge part of the appeal. The podcast was released monthly until 2020, after which Green adapted it into a book of essays by the same name.
Starter episode: “Canada Geese and Diet Dr Pepper”
‘Bananas’
Most news podcasts aren’t exactly in the feel-good category, but “Bananas” is different. Hosted by two comedians, Kurt Braunohler and Scotty Landes, the show highlights offbeat news stories about unconventional crimes, oddball local events and bizarre human behavior — think the Florida Man meme, only worldwide. The loose criteria (anything goes, so long as it’s bananas) makes for a limitless range of subjects, and the hosts’ high-energy commentary is reliably entertaining.
Starter episode: “Cat Causes Niagara Falls”
‘The Happiness Lab With Dr. Laurie Santos’
In January 2018, a Yale University class titled “Psychology and the Good Life” drew record enrollment numbers, and quickly became the most popular course in the school’s history. The class, taught by Dr. Laurie Santos, a psychology professor, sought to address the high levels of depression and anxiety among students by teaching strategies to live a happier life. Santos started this podcast the following year to bring those lessons to a wider audience. “The Happiness Lab” explores the scientific reasons our brains tend to make faulty predictions about the future, and delves into common “lies of the mind” — a false or biased belief about what we need to do in order to be happy. Despite all the cognitive science, it’s a genuinely fun listen, with Santos and her guests offering plenty of science-based happiness strategies that actually work.
Starter episode: “Grateful Expectations”
‘No Such Thing as a Fish’
This long-running comedy podcast was created by the research team behind the beloved BBC panel show “QI,” as a way to showcase the bottomless trove of strange and fascinating trivia they’ve discovered that never made it to air. In every episode, the show’s regular hosts, Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski and Andrew Hunter Murray, share surprising or obscure facts that they’ve discovered in the past week, sparking a group conversation that’s reliably hilarious, educational and just a little chaotic. Even after more than a decade, the hosts’ genuine joy in learning is still palpable, which makes for delightful listening no matter the topic.
Starter episode: “No Such Thing as A Hedgehog in a Lifeboat”
‘Strangers on a Bench’
This is an interview show unlike any other, capturing spontaneous conversations between strangers. In each episode, Tom Rosenthal, a British musician, sits on a bench in a different London park and strikes up a conversation with somebody he’s never met before. His gentle curiosity and wry humor put people at ease, and the resulting interactions run the gamut from fun small talk to profound life stories. In a time of increasing disconnection and loneliness, “Strangers on a Bench” makes a compelling case for just starting a conversation and seeing what happens.
Starter episode: “A Fight”
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