Sleep story · winter, still
A field under snow (a sleep story), if you are sceptical about all of this — for a restless night
Everything muffled, everything white, and no tracks but yours.
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
The air is so cold it feels dry, and your breath is visible for a long time. Nothing in this field needs to be done today or tomorrow. The snow on the branches is holding, and every so often a small amount slides off.
The snow came down all afternoon and has now stopped, leaving the field completely unmarked. The fence posts are capped with snow and look shorter than they are. Your hands are warm inside your gloves and cold at the wrists.
Feel your heartbeat somewhere far away. Now feel your whole body at once, lying here, being held up.
Let your palms open if they were closed. Let your forearms get heavy and warm.
A single crow crosses the field and lands on the fence, then thinks better of it. The sound of your own boots is the loudest thing for half a mile.
Let your breathing get slower without deciding to slow it. Let your calves spread out and flatten.
Notice how quickly your mind labels things: good, bad, boring, nice. Notice how you're sitting. Adjust if you need to. Then settle again.
Feel your heels sink a little into the mattress. Notice how much of you has already stopped moving.
Nothing here needs following closely. You can stop listening properly.
Softer. Let the room get slightly further away. You do not have to count them.
Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work.
Let the words go now, and take the quiet with you.
12 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes read slowly aloud. Written for winter, still.
If this story does not settle you, try Sleep story: the night train, when you are somewhere noisy — for the hours after a late shift, The night train or A fire dying down (a sleep story), when you only have a few minutes — for a restless night.