Candles | Can't Sleep? Learn About the 5,000-Year History of Candlelight episode artwork

EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 36 MIN

Candles | Can't Sleep? Learn About the 5,000-Year History of Candlelight

from I Can’t Sleep · host Benjamin Boster

Candles are simple objects with a surprisingly long history of being useful, decorative, and occasionally dramatic. In this episode, we explore how candles work, what they’re made from, and why people kept improving them long after better lighting came along. It’s a practical little tour through wax, wicks, combustion, and the oddly persistent charm of setting a tiny fire on purpose. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Candle, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 8, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Candles | Can't Sleep? Learn About the 5,000-Year History of Candlelight

0:00 36:53

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of I Can’t Sleep?

This episode is 36 minutes long.

When was this I Can’t Sleep episode published?

This episode was published on May 8, 2026.

Can I download this I Can’t Sleep episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!