There has been a rise in popularity of apps and podcasts designed with the purpose of sending us to sleep at night. With one in three adults complaining of broken sleep at night, you can see why there’s a need for this type of sleep-inducing technology.
You really don’t have to persuade me that reading is a good idea. I spend the majority of my life doing it in some form and when I’m not reading, I’m writing.
I’m not a traditionalist either. Personally, I love holding a physical book in my hands. I’m not about to shame you with a literary superiority if you prefer to listen to one, though.
The main point is that people are looking for escapism. They’re looking to lose themselves in a world of fiction to liberate themselves from the monotony of boring, everyday thoughts.
As somebody who has read every night since I was about five-years-old, I’m so pleased people are coming around to the idea of a bedtime story.
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I’ve seen apps like Calm and Headspace releasing sleep stories and meditations as an antidote to those of us who struggle to drift off.
Some people prefer to listen to books they’ve read hundreds of times before. That way, it doesn’t matter if they fall asleep mid-way through a chapter.
Harry Potter is great for this purpose. Stephen Fry’s voice is so relaxing.
Reading books helps me to fall asleep as well. It’s not all about listening. Anything that allows you to switch your brain off and move it as far away from your phone as possible will serve the same purpose.
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Children love bedtime stories, but it’s not just the story they love; it’s the closeness and family time.
I’ve heard that Alexa and Google Home has replaced the traditional family story time in some households and that makes me a bit sad. Growing up, I loved reading just as much as I loved reading to somebody or having somebody read to me.
Something else I would recommend (if this suits you) is to have a family or couple audiobook to listen to if you’ve been stressed, had a bad day or had arguments.
It’s a calming shift from reality that I’m all for, in whatever form you choose.
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