Sleep story · still, water
Sleep story: a lake before dawn, when nothing else has worked today — for a night when you do not want to think
Flat water, no wind, and light that has not arrived yet.
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 lake is completely flat, the way it only gets in the hour before the light comes. Nothing on the lake is in a hurry, including you. Your boat is tied up and moving just enough to be noticeable.
Somewhere behind you, a gate opens and closes. There is a coil of rope on the deck, still damp from yesterday. The mist sits about a foot above the surface and does not move.
Let your lower back sink down into the mattress. Let your ribs stop working so hard.
Let the space between your eyebrows smooth out. Let your palms open if they were closed.
The far shore is a dark line with no detail in it yet. The sky is the colour of unpolished pewter.
Feel the back of your knees soften into the bed. Your fingers can stop doing anything at all.
Notice if you've been frowning at your own thoughts. Notice any part of you that wants this to be over.
Feel your heartbeat somewhere far away. Let your tongue sit heavy in your mouth.
Let your attention settle somewhere low, like your feet. The words can start to blur now.
Let each breath be a little smaller than the last. Nothing needs deciding tonight. Softer.
Nothing else has worked today. That is not a reason to skip this.
That is the end of the story. Sleep is the next part, and it does not need instructions.
12 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes read slowly aloud. Written for still, water.
If this story does not settle you, try A bus at night — a slow story for the end of the day, when you are somewhere noisy — for an overtired night, A lighthouse at the end of a long day, when nothing else has worked today — for a restless night or Sleep story: a boat at anchor, when you are waiting for something — for waking too early.