Struggling to get to sleep? You’re not alone: research by the Sleep Health Foundation found up to 45% of Aussie adults are sleep deprived.
A new trend offers a promising solution – bedtime stories. Yep, this childhood pastime is getting traction in the adult world. In fact, the ‘Sleep Stories’ feature of meditation app Calm was reportedly downloaded more than two million times in the first month of release.
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These ‘Sleep Stories’, narrated by celebs, are a mix of original tales and classics like Wind in the Willows. The idea is that they help calm the mind by distracting you. They’re perhaps less about mindfulness and more about mindlessness.
Oh, and side note for bachie fans: you can hear US Bachelor Nick Viall reading Sleeping Beauty on this app. This is not a drill.
“Sleep Stories are meant to take you back to a simpler mental state and let your brain relax and prepare for a deep rest, just as it did when you were young,” said Calm co-founder Alex Tew.
Beyond apps, there are also books such as Bedtime Stories For Grown-Ups. This book might look a bit less suss on your bedside table than, say, Cinderella. The author Ben Holden says it’s “an anthology of pieces designed to set your adult mind at ease”. The selection of works, both fiction and non-fiction “are not intended to stimulate anything more than contemplation or meditation”.
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Bedtime stories also provide a good digital detox from that pre-bed scroll on Instagram. We know the ‘blue light’ from phones and tablets can interfere with your sleep patterns. And, at the very least, this bedtime stories trend will probably lead to some awesome dreams. Nick, I do accept this rose.
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