Sleep story · travel, cozy
Sleep story: the night train, when you are somewhere unfamiliar — for jet lag
Somewhere between two cities, in the dark, where nobody needs anything from you.
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 lights along the aisle are dimmed to the colour of weak tea. The rhythm underneath you is steady enough to lean on. Your bag is wedged under the seat in front, out of the way of your feet.
The heating is on low, and the air smells faintly of clean metal and old upholstery. Somewhere ahead of you, a door opens and closes with a soft, deliberate sound. The train left a quarter of an hour ago, and the carriage has already settled into its own quiet.
Your ankles can go loose now. Let your ribs stop working so hard.
Feel your cheeks let go. Feel the weight of your head on the pillow.
There is one other person in this carriage, four rows up, asleep with a coat over their knees. Outside, the fields go past without anything in them you need to see.
Let your feet get heavy first. Heavier than they need to be. Feel your heels sink a little into the mattress.
Notice if your attention is in the future. Bring it back to the room. You might be planning something. Notice the planning, then come back.
Let your hands be completely still. Feel the back of your knees soften into the bed.
Almost nothing to do now. Just the dark.
Let the room get slightly further away. Nothing here needs following closely. Let them.
It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas.
Goodnight. There is nothing left to do.
12 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes read slowly aloud. Written for travel, cozy.
If this story does not settle you, try Sleep story: the night train, when you are somewhere noisy — for winding down, A lake before dawn — a slow story for the end of the day, when you only have a few minutes — for a night when you do not want to think or Sleep story: a hotel room somewhere, when you are short on time — for a restless night.