Why Dads Used to Fall Asleep Watching TV, but Don’t Anymore.

If you were alive in the 90s or earlier, you likely have distinct memories of your living room being lit by the glow of an old CRT TV. Your father would be asleep in his recliner, as the monotone voice of the TV presenters guided you through the latest sales from various department stores. Once the commercials ended, the endless loop of content continued, spitting out a consistent stream of audio and visual noise that acted as the strongest sleep aid to anyone planted in front of the screen.

This is an experience that seems to have been lost on younger generations. The tradition of falling asleep in front of the TV is something that just doesn’t happen anymore. So what has changed? In this article, we will explore all the ways that technology has changed, why it has affected the sleep spell, and how you can bring back the old experience.

The Monotone and Hypnotic Voice from the Man on the TV

Throughout the earlier years of color TV, shows, and commercials were almost always paired with the voice of a narrator. The style of narration was far different than what we see today. Instead of a hyper and excited voice with overexaggerated annunciation, the voices from the past were more subtle and monotone. While this voice was designed to be familiar and trustworthy in order to sell products, it also had the effect of luring the viewer into a deep slumber.

Today, content is far more dynamic. Quick cuts are backed with energetic music and visuals that are designed to keep the viewer engaged at all times. It is far more difficult to fall asleep to a stream of modern content.

The Compressed Audio Range of those Old TVs

Before TVs became as thin as they are now, it was the norm to use the built-in speakers of the old CRT models. These speakers produced warm compressed sounds. All of the audio seemed to blend together, often complemented by the light hum of static from the varying reception of the TV signal. While this made for some excellent background noise, it wasn’t a great way to keep viewers engaged, and it allowed us to doze off with ease.

Today, the standard is to have some sort of external speakers with your TV setup. Whether it’s a simple soundbar or a full-blown atmos configuration, the speakers of today have a much wider audio range. Volume inconsistencies, changing music, and more distinct shifts in vocals will never fail to jolt you back away from the edge of sleep.

A Neverending Stream of Content

Lastly, the way we consume content has changed significantly over the years. In the old days, you had a select number of channels, all of which offered an endless stream of content. All you had to do was flip to the right channel, and you’d be certain that your sleep-inducing therapy would last until the TV was turned off.

Compare this to the way you find content today. If you’re going to YouTube, you’re consuming one individual video at a time, each usually lasting about 5-10 minutes. Once that video has ended, you must interact with your device to get the next video prepared. It’s also likely that you are watching on a phone or laptop, which are devices that you have to hold to see your content correctly. So ultimately this type of situation requires far more physical interaction from the viewer, preventing any opportunity for sleep.

How to Recreate the Old TV Sleep Machine

With a mission of recreating the old TV sleep machine, I put together several tips to help you live out this nostalgic experience. The ultimate solution would be gaining access to an old TV, but I’ll assume you don’t have this as it’s very impractical.

Tip 1 – Find an 80s/90s commercial compilation from YouTube. There are plenty to choose from, but find one that has a decent runtime length, and then set it to loop once the video ends. This way, you can keep the video playing all night.

Tip 2 – Use a small screen. An old tablet works the best, as it provides a small and concentrated source of light, that won’t blind you when it cuts to a bright scene.

Tip 3 – Use a small Bluetooth speaker. You’ll want to match the size of the old built-in TV speakers as much as you can. A soundbar creates too wide of a soundstage, but a small Bluetooth speaker turned out to be perfect.

Once you have your setup, make sure everything is powered and ready to go, then you’re off to sleep. Beware, this could trigger dreams of wandering around an old mall or department store, as the people around you start to slowly disappear, leaving you stranded in a forgotten time… trapped there for eternity.