One of the things I like most about Podcasts is that they don't overtake my time. They are just interesting enough without being too involving. Games, TV shows and books seem able to really grip my attention and displace everything else including sleep, but podcasts not so much.
I have noticed this as well. I keep a set of "mildly interesting" podcasts for when I want to occupy mind enough to help me fall asleep, usually on airplanes.
