Sleep story · sea, simple
A caravan by the sea — a slow story for the end of the day, when you are somewhere noisy — for a restless night
Thin walls, wind outside, and the sound of shingle about fifty metres away.
Lights off. Press begin and let the story read itself to you, at the pace of sleep.
Screen on or off — we suggest dimming it, or simply closing your eyes after the first paragraph.
The story, in full
There is a gas ring, a kettle, and two cups, one of which is a different pattern. The caravan rocks very slightly in the wind, which is more comforting than it sounds. The window over the sink has a small crack in the corner that has been there for years.
The wind pushes against the side of the caravan in long, slow gusts. A clock on the wall ticks with a slight rattle on every second. The sea is about fifty metres away, over a bank of shingle.
Your elbows can stop being hinges for now. Feel the weight of your head on the pillow.
Let your shoulder blades spread out and drop. Feel the top of your head relax into the pillow.
The bed folds out of the seating area and takes up most of the floor. Everything you need is within two metres of where you are lying.
Let the back of your neck lengthen out. Notice the places where your body touches the bed, and let them be heavy.
Notice if your attention is in the future. Bring it back to the room. If you're distracted by a sound, let the sound be the object for a moment.
Let your upper arms fall wherever gravity puts them. Let your feet get heavy first. Heavier than they need to be.
Just the dark. Let them.
Leave it there. Slower. They will find their own way out.
Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle.
Let this be the last thing you listen to.
12 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes read slowly aloud. Written for sea, simple.
If this story does not settle you, try A lake before dawn (a sleep story), when you need something unremarkable — for waking too early, A library at closing time — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are doing this in the middle of the day — for a night when you do not want to think or Sleep story: a library at closing time, when you are doing this for the first time — for an overtired night.