What’s it like when the sun never sets?

What’s it like when the sun never sets?

July 20, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 883

About this episode

The episode explores the phenomenon of the midnight sun in northern cities and its effects on local traditions and sleep.

Today's story: In cities of the far north, it never gets fully dark around the summer solstice. Cities and towns celebrate with festivals, outdoor events, and late-night traditions, from baseball in Alaska to White Nights in St. Petersburg. But constant light can also affect sleep, so people use blackout curtains, dim lights, and other routines to help their bodies adjust. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/883 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/883 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

People in this episode

Host: Jeff

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Mentioned in this episode

Places: Alaska, St. Petersburg

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