Sleep story · travel, cozy
The night train — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are sceptical about all of this — 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 heating is on low, and the air smells faintly of clean metal and old upholstery. There is one other person in this carriage, four rows up, asleep with a coat over their knees. A station passes without stopping — a platform, a lamp, three empty benches, then dark again.
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. The rhythm underneath you is steady enough to lean on.
Notice how much of you has already stopped moving. Let your palms open if they were closed.
Feel your wrists loosen. Feel your heels sink a little into the mattress.
The window is cool against the side of your face. The seat reclines one notch further than you expected it to.
Now feel your whole body at once, lying here, being held up. Your elbows can stop being hinges for now.
Notice how quickly your mind labels things: good, bad, boring, nice. If you're thinking about the next thing on your list, that list will still be there.
Notice your hips, wide and settled. Feel the top of your head relax into the pillow.
Stay with the weight of your body. Slower now.
Let the thoughts come and go without you getting up to answer. Almost nothing to do now. Softer.
Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work.
The end. Sleep well.
12 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes read slowly aloud. Written for travel, cozy.