15 Adult Lullabies for Sleepless Nights (Playlist)

Several factors have made this a pertinent project for me, and I’m glad finally to get this thing made.

AI-generated image of earbud on pillow at night. Chat GPT.

First, I’ve been restless. The weight of our summer travels and our coming international move have stressed me without me even realizing it. It’s led to many a sleepless night.

Second, my daughter’s been leaving her iPad streaming Pandora’s algorithm-made playlists, and they suck! I walk into her bedroom at 11:30pm to quietly turn off her Lauren Daigle channel while she sleeps, and I find Skillet blaring in her ears. She needs something better.

I’ve curated this playlist of “adult lullabies” only to include songs that are peaceful, both in tone and in words. They’ve definitely got a solid Christian bent, though I’ve included 3.5 secular songs as well right in the middle. I’ve broken these 15 songs down into 4 themes:

Restlessness (and Its Answer)

Lyric-Driven (for Meditation)

Adult Lullabies (Secular)

Be Still (from Psalm 46:10)

Whether you suffer from insomnia, have a brain that won’t sleep, or are just feeling restless, I encourage you to try these songs out for yourself. Sometimes we simply need to “be still and know that He is God.”

Access the Full Playlist Here


Restlessness (and Its Answer)

If you only listen to two songs from this playlist, make it these. In fact, I sort of hope that by the time you’re done with these, you’re already sleeping! Nevertheless, I couldn’t anywhere that here, where the problem is bluntly stated—and the answer is equally clear.

  1. “Sleepless Night” by Fernando Ortega
    “Another sleepless night of turning in my bed long before the red sun rises.”
  2. “Restless” by Audrey Assad
    “I’m restless till I rest in you, O God.”

Lyric-Driven (for Meditating)

These songs are worth thinking about, so if you’re still awake, hopefully your mind can rest as it dwells on these stories of OT saints and Israelites (#s 3-4), God’s grace through personal sorrow (#5), our hope for the future (#6), or an honest prayer from a secular band (#7).

  1. “In the Night” by Andrew Peterson
    “In the night, my hope lives on.”
  2. “Fire by Night” by Josh Garrels
    “The Earth trembles with His love.”
  3. “Close Your Eyes” by Future of Forestry
    “Trust will be your light tonight, so close your eyes this time.”
  4. “O Day of Peace” by Josh Garrels
    “O day of peace that dimly shines throughout all our hopes and prayers and dreams.”
  5. “Sleeperhold” by Dolorean
    “Blessed be the broken ones for whom grace daily unfolds.”

Adult Lullabies (Secular)

These aren’t Christian lullabies, but neither are they for babies. Even if James Taylor is singing about a cowboy’s baby nephew (#8) or Jack Johnson is singing for Curious George (#10)—these pleasant songs are meant to lull you off to sleep.

  1. “Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor
    “Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose—won’t you let me go down in my dreams?”
  2. “Sleep” by Donovan
    “Sleep, Beloved, sleep.”
  3. “Lullaby” by Jack Johnson (ft. Matt Costa)
    “When you’re so lonely, lying in bed…you wish you could dream but forgot to somehow.”

Be Still (Psalm 46:10)

When you says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10) we should listen! These final songs all derive their message from here, with Audrey Assad’s incredible voice closing it out with perhaps the greatest hymn of all time, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

  1. “Still, My Soul, Be Still” by Keith and Kristyn Getty
    “Lord of Peace, renew a steadfast spirit within me to rest on you alone.”
  2. “Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)” by Kari Jobe
    “Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, He faithful will remain.”
  3. “Be Still and Know” by Stephen Curtis Chapman
    “Be still, O restless soul of min. Bow before the Prince of Peace, let the noise and clamor cease.”
  4. “Abide with Me” by Keith and Kristyn Getty
    “Fast fall the eventide. The darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide.”
  5. “It Is Well with My Soul” by Audrey Assad
    “My sin—not in part, but the whole—is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more!”

Conclusion

Still awake after all that? Doubt it, but put this playlist on repeat if so. There’s depth in these songs that should take you either into deep meditation or deep sleep. Both are worth having.

NOTE: If you find any broken link, shoot me a message and I’ll fix it! Thanks!

©2026 E.T.

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