Movies

55 Movies to Fall Asleep to When Your Brain’s Completely Fried

Because sometimes you just need a movie that helps you zone out.
best romantic movies
Netflix

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There’s a certain level of tiredness that overcomes me in the hours between the end of the work day and going to bed. I’m beat, sure, but not quite ready to pass out either. My brain is completely fried from a long day, and movies to fall asleep to are the only solution.

Many friends have told me they’re hesitant to watch a movie during these hours because they don’t have the mental capacity to follow along. After all, that’s why things like The Bachelor work so well. And we’ve seen what a late-night viewing of Love Is Blind can do. But comfort TV and comfort movies basically offer the same thing: They stop me from thinking about everything I have to do tomorrow and lift my mood just enough so I won't have nightmares without actually getting me excited enough to start a project.

But there are actually a ton of engaging yet easy-to-watch movies to fall asleep to, and if you have any kind of insomnia, maybe you need the full 90-minute runtime to transition from awake to dreaming. So we've picked out flicks that are entertaining, familiar, and not too heavy. These films, in particular, are ideal to check out—be it for the first time or the 400th time. Behold my favorite movies to fall asleep to, below.

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    Bridget Jones’s Diary

    I like to think of Bridget Jones as everyone’s best friend, which makes her the perfect person to chat with before falling into a REM sleep cycle. The first film is preferable to the sequels for its nostalgia factor. But let’s be real: Any installment from this series will do the trick. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Clueless

    Cher Horowitz is one of the most comforting film narrators of all time. Watching her transform from spoiled Beverly Hills scene kid to a mature woman is always a fun time—no matter how many times you’ve seen it. So feel free to doze off because you already know what happens. Spoiler: Cher ends up with her stepbrother, played by Paul Rudd. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

  • Netflix
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    A Christmas Prince

    An American blogger meeting a prince, falling in love, and marrying into a royal family would have sounded like a way more far-fetched plot had Meghan Markle not ended up with Prince Harry. While this Netflix film isn't based on their relationship, it is a delightful reprieve from real life—and there are two more films in the trilogy, so you've got plenty to watch. 

    Available on Netflix 

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    The Princess Switch

    Speaking of delightful Netflix originals that feature Americans, royals, and the holidays—the limit does not exist for multiple viewings of The Princess Switch, in which you will get not one but two Vanessa Hudgens-es. Just wait until you see the sequel in which there are—you guessed it—three! 

    Available on Netflix 

  • Steve Wilkie/Netflix
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    Let It Snow

    A teen rom-com with multiple storylines (à la Love Actually) set in a winter wonderland? You had us at “hello.” If you haven't already seen this Netflix original, now is your moment, and if you have, we can report it's just as delightful upon a second—or third—viewing no matter the season.

    Available on Netflix

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    Before Sunrise

    Maybe it’s the sunny, hazy palette​ of this film or the fact that it takes place over an exhilarating 24 hours, but Before Sunrise will wear you out—in the best way possible. Maybe you’ll dream about meeting a handsome stranger on a train who convinces you to ditch your plans and hang for the day. What’s better than that? 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Finding Dory

    Finding Dory has the same tranquil elements as its predecessor. Plus, the plot—Dory tries to find her birth parents—is pretty linear, so you can scroll Instagram without missing a beat. That’s what zone-out time is all about.

    Available to stream on Disney+

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    Antz

    Like Finding Dory, something about the way these ants talk is oddly soothing. (They all have that delicious, “Just woke up, and now I’m drinking coffee” cadence. You know the one.) The central love story is pretty cute too. A worker ant and a royal ant find themselves disconnected from their colony and fall for each other.

    Available to stream on Max

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    Last Holiday

    This hilarious flick about a woman (played by the one and only Queen Latifah) who takes a lavish vacation after learning she has only months to live will warm you up with feel-good vibes right before you fall asleep. Isn’t that the best feeling? 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Annie

    Maybe you’re thinking musicals are not the best for winding down, but it truthfully depends on the type of musical. Annie is basically ingrained in my brain (“It’s a Hard Knock Life,” etc.), and the story is light, so it makes for great background noise. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

  • ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
    11/55

    The Devil Wears Prada

    For a character nicknamed the Dragon Lady, Miranda Priestly’s voice is very calming. This hilarious film about a bright-eyed journalist’s first foray into fashion media is glamorous enough to keep you hooked but straightforward enough to keep you sane. 

    Available on Amazon Prime Video

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    E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial

    There’s a childlike factor to E.T., the classic Steven Spielberg–directed film about an alien befriended by a group of children, that makes it one of the best movies to fall asleep to. In other words, you likely know this flick by heart, so there’s no shame in passing out 10 minutes into it. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    The Nutty Professor

    Eddie Murphy is a comic tour-de-force in this classic movie about a professor coming to terms with his body and love. Laughing hysterically right before bed is brilliant if you think about. You’ll wear yourself out and get the best sleep of your life. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Twilight

    The first Twilight movie basically plays out like a psychedelic dream, so it’s ideal to watch when your brain is on another planet. It’s also mind-numbingly simple. Plus, you won’t have any issues following along if you haven’t seen it yet. (A girl who purses her lips a lot falls in love with a 700-year-old vampire who sparkles in the sun. That’s all you need to know.) Rock me to sleep, Edward Cullen.

    Available to stream on Netflix

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    15/55

    (500) Days of Summer

    This simple boy-meets-girl, girl-dumps-boy love story is amplified by delightful performances from Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and a soundtrack full of indie jams. Watching this bubbly, bright romantic comedy will put you in an amazing mood before hitting the hay. Pleasant dreams guaranteed. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Fool’s Gold

    The sun-drenched setting of this film, plus Matthew McConaughey’s hypnotic voice, will put you in the most zen mood ever. Fool’s Gold, which follows a recently divorced couple searching for a hidden treasure, is the movie equivalent of driving with the windows down on a sunny summer day. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves

    The title of this childhood favorite is pretty self-explanatory: A scientist father (played by Rick Moranis) creates a machine that somehow shrinks him, his wife, and two friends. There’s a familiarity to this film that makes it a perfect bedside companion, don’t you think?

    Available to stream on Disney+

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    High School Musical

    The same logic to Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves applies to the first (and best) installment of High School Musical. (A quick summary: Baby Zac Efron and Baby Vanessa Hudgens want to star in the school musical, but their respective cliques weirdly shame them for it.) I get tired just thinking about how I routinely stayed up past my bedtime watching this one on repeat.

    Available to stream on Disney+

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    Think Like a Man

    Taraji P. Henson leads this movie about a group of women who use Steve Harvey’s dating book to try to get inside their partner’s head. The stakes are fairly low—okay, really low—which means it’s the perfect movie to laugh along with before you nod off. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

    This romantic comedy, about a writer (played by Kate Hudson) who purposefully commits dating faux pas in the name of journalism, is hilarious and entertaining. But it’s also gloriously low-stakes: Nothing will ease your mind more than watching her rich-people​ problems unfold for 90 minutes.

    Available to stream on Peacock

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    Love Actually

    Whether you love it or love to hate it, there's no doubt that throwing on Love Actually will take your mind off whatever happened during your day…no matter what time of year it is. Do you ever find you're drawn to a different storyline depending on your mood, or is that just me?

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Dreamgirls

    If watching Beyoncé sing “Listen” in this musical about a Supremes-inspired girl group doesn’t put you in the most relaxed mood, absolutely nothing else will. Actually, maybe Jennifer Hudson singing “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” will do the trick. But I swear the list ends there.

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Magic Mike

    Do you really need an explanation as to why this is the ultimate nighttime entertainment? Three words: Channing Tatum’s abs. They star alongside the abs of Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, and Matthew Mcconaughey in this comedy-drama about the world of male stripping. (The sequel is even better, but that’s one you’d want to stay awake to watch.)

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

    Let Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky’s (Noah Centineo) adorable romance in this teen romantic comedy soothe whatever is troubling you as you drift off to sleep at night. All the yummy-looking desserts that Lara Jean cooks up in the movie should help too.

    Available to stream on Netflix

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    Pride and Prejudice

    The story is deeply familiar (love, corsets, Mr. Darcy!), and the music is like a dream. That’s all you really need in a good movie to fall asleep to. Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman who gets a very happy ending, in this 2005 adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel.

    Available to stream on Netflix

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    Mean Girls

    You probably have Mean Girls memorized—so it’s excellent filler noise. Tina Fey’s magnum opus about a new girl who takes on the school queen bee is perfectly cast, starring Lindsay Lohan as a naive newcomer thrown into the intense social politics of high school. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Sex and the City

    We spent six years getting lulled to sleep by the nonexistent glamazon struggles of Carrie Bradshaw and the gang. The Sex and the City movie essentially plays out like a giant, two-hour episode of the show. You’ll dream of cosmopolitans, Birkin bags, and unrealistically large New York City apartments. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    In Her Shoes

    In Her Shoes is a sweet, melodic film about two drastically different sisters who learn more about themselves by mimicking each other (hence the title). I find watching Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz smile at each other for two hours quite delightful, and I think you’ll agree.

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Bridesmaids

    You might wake yourself up laughing, but after a hard day, truly nothing lifts my spirits like this classic comedy I could—and do—quote in my sleep.

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Sleepless in Seattle

    Contrary to its title, this beloved ’90s romantic comedy about unlikely love found through a radio talk show is whimsical and delicious—a dream cloud in movie form. Your REM sleep cycle will thank you after you’ve fallen asleep to this Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks classic.

    Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video

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    Safe Haven

    Admittedly, this is an intense drama—Julianne Hough plays a woman on the run from her abusive ex—but it is a Nicholas Sparks movie, which means the best place to take it in is curled up in bed. The gorgeous North Carolina backdrop certainly helps too.

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Step Up

    In the first Step Up, Channing and Jenna Dewan-Tatum danced their way to true love—both on- and offscreen. Watching a romantic movie before bed is great, sure, but watching one that created a real relationship, even if it didn’t last, and includes dancing takes the cake. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Julie & Julia

    Julie & Julia is another film that might make you too hungry to sleep, but it's worth taking the chance because Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci talking about butter is one of the most heart-warming sounds on planet Earth. This is a fact.

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    The Princess Bride

    The definition of a comfort movie. The framing device is literally that this is a story you read to a kid who isn't feeling well.

    Available to stream on Disney+

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    13 Going on 30

    Just like teenaged Jenna Rink wakes up as a hot 30-year-old career woman after falling asleep in her closet during a traumatizing junior high party, you will awaken refreshed and ready to “Thriller” if you fall asleep to 13 Going on 30.

    Available to stream on Netflix

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    The Holiday

    Although we have no scientific evidence to prove this, we think watching Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black in this delightful rom-com will automatically boost your serotonin levels and brighten your mood.

    Available to stream on Netflix

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    The Parent Trap

    You probably already have this movie—which should have won Lindsay Lohan her first Oscar—memorized, so if you fall asleep you won't miss a thing. In fact, if you fall asleep watching Nancy Meyers's 1998 classic The Parent Trap, you'll dream of Napa Valley, the streets of London, crisp white clothing, and absolutely iconic kitchens.

    Available to stream on Disney+

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    Downton Abbey: The Movie

    Chaos is not stressful when there are British accents, for some reason. In the 2019 Downton Abbey film, the Crawley's get a visit from the king and queen of England, which causes some very British things to happen in this very British movie that's based on a very British television show. 

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

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    Best in Show

    If I could, I would fall asleep to the sound of Catherine O'Hara every single night. And for every nap, too. Christopher Guest's Best in Show is an ideal movie for sleeping because has cute dogs and comedy legends like Fred Willard, Jennifer Coolidge, and Eugene Levy as well as a mockumentary style so peaceful you know you won't be startled at any point.

    Available to stream on HBOMax

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    A Room With a View

    Talk about an oldie but a goodie. This 1985 British romance film is the perfect movie to cuddle up in bed and watch after a long day of doing...anything. And with a star-studded cast that includes Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Helena Bonham Carter, and Daniel Day-Lewis, you’re in good company!

    Available to rent on Amazon Prime

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    Beauty and the Beast (1991)

    I think we can all agree that this classic Disney film is the ultimate comfort movie, making it one of the best movies to fall asleep to. Songs like “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast” offer all the childish joy and soothing nostalgia vibes you need to feel good and relax and wind down from the day.

    Available to watch on Disney+

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    Father of the Bride

    With Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kieran Culkin, and Martin Short on the cast list, you know you’re in for a good movie. While the premise—a dad who becomes overwhelmed planning his daughter’s wedding as things keep going wrong—might sound stressful, it’s actually a feel-good movie with an easy-to-follow storyline, gorgeous scenery, and a heart-warming ending. Still awake? There’s always the sequel, Father of the Bride II.

    Available to stream on Disney+.

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    27 Dresses

    This 2007 romantic comedy has become a classic of the genre. Who wouldn’t love a movie about a young woman living in New York who finds out that her younger sister is engaged to the man she’s secretly in love with? Very relatable stuff... But in all seriousness, that’s what makes this such a good comfort movie: The storyline may be ridiculous, but it’s completely entertaining. And you’ve seen it so many times by now that you don’t need to stress over the ending—you know what happens, so just close your eyes when you’re ready to drift off.

    Available to stream on Hulu and Disney +.

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    Spirited Away

    Directed by the celebrated Japanese animator and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away is a fantasy and adventure movie about a young girl who inadvertantly stumbles into a new world. And like most Miyazaki films, it’s the animated visuals and magical storyline that draws people in.

    Available to stream on Max.

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    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

    The Lord of the Rings and its many sequels make this list simply by being an incredibly long collection of movies. With a total runtime of more than 11 hours, you’ll be able to get a full night’s rest and then some.

    Available to stream on Max.

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    Really Love

    Really Love, a 2020 romantic drama on Netflix, is the perfect movie to put on before you go to bed as a way to unwind. It’s a classic romance movie about a young woman who starts an unexpected, heart-warming relationship with an up-and-coming painter trying to break into the art world. Not only is it simply a good movie with a solid plot, but the cinematography is exactly the kind of visuals you want to see before heading off to dreamland.

    Available to stream on Netflix.

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