This really happened last week:
Lynne (member of our community) recommended the Nothing Much Happens podcast. I downloaded an episode, and in the process could see the podcast had something to do with helping you sleep.
That night while sleeping, my mind chewed itself into an angry hairball. I woke up both upset and unable to change my negative thinking. In the past I’ve tried commanding my mind to stop being stupid and relax; or to count; or to read for awhile: all with limited success.
This time I remembered the podcast, plugged in my AirPods and listened.
In a quiet voice, narrator Kathryn Nicolai explained she’d read a story she wrote, then would read the story again, though slower.
She read an essay about how she walked her local beach one morning and described everything; the beauty of the waves, the feel of the air; a bleached piece of driftwood. By the time she started the story again, not only had her calm story broken my negative thinking, but I fell asleep.
This woman is a genius!
What helps you get back to sleep?
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For updates about Martha’s forthcoming memoir, Bliss Road (June 2023), or other books, news and giveaways, check out her website: https://marthaengber.com