Bedtime Stories for Insomniacs

Since January of 2022, I’ve been working as a freelance script writer for The Slumber Group. I currently have roughly 100 stories that have aired or are in various stages of production. Some of them air on the Get Sleepy free podcast, whereas others are only available to premium Get Sleepy subscribers or people who have the Slumber app. On the YouTube channel, my stories have racked up over a two million views! Whether you prefer a podcast or a YouTube video, you can try them entirely free.

What Kind of Story Is This?

Similar to a meditation or soothing music, it’s a bedtime story that is custom made to lull you to sleep. The idea is to immerse you in relaxation and help you turn your brain off so that you can rest. There are many different types of sleepy stories for grownups, ranging from travel visualizations to fairytales. In every case, extra care is taken to steer clear of any story element that might keep you awake. These stories are all read by professional voiceover actors.

Where Can I Try One?

If you’d like to check out my stories, here are links to the ones that are currently freely available! You can access them by adding Get Sleepy to any podcast app OR you can find the Get Sleepy channel on YouTube, which is getting about a thousand new subscribers every day or two, recently having reached a half million subs. Here are some links!

To listen in your browser (most of these lead to Spotify):

Reinvented Fairytales and Folktales

Cinderella Part 1 and 2 and 3 – a movie-length reimagining of Cinderella, drawing from the French and German versions. Narrated by Thomas.

Rose Red and the Bear – A young woman’s natural kindness to strangers ends up creating the most powerful type of magic. As you’ll see from this tale, being a force for good doesn’t always take grand gestures. Narrated by Heather.

The Sleeping Castle – A retelling of the classic Grimm Brothers fairytale, “The Queen Bee.” Narrated by Thomas.

The Nightingale’s Song – A retelling of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, “The Nightingale.” Narrated by Marcellus.

How the Night Came to Be – A woman longs for the peacefulness of the sea in this sleepy retelling of a classic Brazilian folktale. Narrated by Maria.

Flowers that Bloom by Moonlight – Rowan seeks the pollen of night-blooming flowers to help the king in this sleepy retelling of the classic fairy tale, “The White Slipper.” Narrated by TK.

The Enchantment of the Swans – In this retelling of Grimm Brothers tale “The Six Swans,” a kind princess commits to a long and challenging task to save her brothers from a most inconvenient enchantment. In the process, she learns the benefits of patience and determination. Narrated by Thomas.

Night of the Black Crows – A prequel to Enchantment of the Swans, where we learn all about the mysterious black crow and its All Hallows Eve tradition. Narrated by Thomas.

Beauty and the Beast – Part I – This classic tale has been completely reimagined to retain all the atmosphere, with a fresh take on the original story. Part 2 and Part 3. If you’d like to get this story as one long episode with a background rain soundtrack, check out the YouTube link below. It is the most viewed story on the channel with over 4 million views to date. Narrated by Thomas.

Gretel’s Sweet Dream – The fairytale “Hansel and Gretel” is updated here with a much happier ending. Narrated by Vanessa.

The Glass Mountain – Based loosely on the Polish fairytale, a plucky village lad goes on a quest to rescue a princess from the top of a glassy mountain of ice. This particular story has been one of the most popular on YouTube, with over 100,000 views to date. Narrated by Thomas.

The Sleepy Tale of Old Mother Frost – A retelling of the fairytale “Mother Holle” – the story of a very sweet girl named Hanna who finds herself, unexpectedly, in a strange land. Still, she offers her help wherever it is needed. And eventually she finds out how completing even the most mundane tasks can make the world a lot more magical. Narrated by Heather.

A Dream of Sherwood Forest , Return to Sherwood Forest and Gathering at Robin Hood’s Tavern – Drawing upon retellings of Robin Hood tales from 200 years ago, I’ve taken the listener on a journey into Sherwood Forest, to spend a night at the fireside with Robin and his Merry Men. This episode features a special expanded soundtrack! Narrated by Thomas.

Why the Sun and Moon Came to the Sky – This retelling of a Nigerian folktale takes you back in time to imagine an entirely different world. Hear a story about how the sun and moon thought nothing of paying the ocean a neighborly visit. Narrated by Thomas.

The Man Who Knew No Fear – In this modern retelling of an old fairytale, a young man who has never experienced fear embarks upon a quest to win the hand of an intelligent princess. But first, he has to make it through three nights in a haunted castle. Narrated by Thomas.

The Magical Mobile Bookshop – An original fairytale, in which a girl named Emily goes on a literary adventure via a whimsical bookshop that she finds in a very unexpected place. Narrated by Jessika.

Jai and the Luminous Princess – a sleepy retelling of an enchanting folktale that originated in India. It has all the best elements of a bedtime story, including young love, an adventurous quest, and a fanciful dose of magic. Narrated by Arif.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves – a sleepy retelling sourced from many of the classic versions. Narrated by Tom.

Travel Visualizations

Restful Days By the Sea – Jennie and Kris as they escape for a day to a cozy hotel in a historic beach town. There, the only item on the agenda is to unwind. Narrated by Heather.

Dreams of the Portland Head Light – Join Emma as she begins her relaxing journey to visit some of America’s fascinating historic lighthouses. This is the first in a series! Stay tuned for more in the coming months. Narrated by Abbe.

Tales of the Rockland Breakwater Light – Emma is back! This time she continues her journey along the coast of Maine, paying a visit to the historic Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and walking its mile-long granite breakwater. Narrated by Abbe.

Legends of the Owls Head Light – Emma settles in for some fireside tales of one historic lighthouse’s former occupants on a dark and stormy autumn evening. Narrated by Abbe.

Visions of the Cape Neddick Light – Emma finishes off her year of lighthouse visits with a stop at “Nubble Light”, where she relaxes at a cliffside luxury hotel before seeing the lighthouse decked out for the holiday. Narrated by Abbe.

A Springtime Stroll in Old Town Alexandria – take a walk among the cherry blossoms in the charming, historical neighborhood of Old Town Alexandria near Washington D.C. Narrated by TK.

A Swim at the Secret Quarry – based upon a real quarry in New England, travel along with Maddie as she follows her friend’s directions and uncovers an enchanting swimming hole. Narrated by Vanessa.

A Snowy Night at the New York Public Library – Go on a dreamy winter journey after hours to the New York Public Library, accompanied by two magical lions: Patience and Fortitude. Narrated by Thomas.

History Stories

The Brave Women of the Lighthouses – returning to our series of adventures with Emma, who is researching lighthouses on the coast of Maine. This time, she’ll recall stories of the heroic roles played by female light keepers. Narrated by Abbe.

The Sleepy History of Pyjamas – travel back in time and learn about the surprisingly feminist and revolutionary journey of the humble nightwear we all love. Narrated by Heather Foster.

Edwardian Garden Party in Bar Harbor – slip back in time to a turn-of-the-century garden party in Bar Harbor, Maine – the legendary coastal escape for the well-heeled. Narrated by Arif.

The Sleepy History of the Times Square Ball Drop – take a journey back in time and learn all about the origins of a classic New Year’s tradition – the Times Square ball drop – from the early examples of time balls to our modern-day celebrations. Narrated by Thomas.

The Ice Harvest – pay a fascinating visit to 19th-century New England. It’s the sparkling first evening of the winter ice harvest – a time before electric refrigeration – when ordinary farmers and laborers in the area gathered together to pull massive blocks of frozen water out of rivers and lakes. Narrated by Thomas.

The Sleepy History of the Easter Bunny – Go you hopping down the twisting paths of history in search of the origins of the Easter Bunny. Along the way, we’ll explore some folklore and symbolism that much of humankind may share. Narrated by Thomas.

The Sleepy History of the Summer Olympics – follow the history of the Games from their inception, thousands of years ago, to the present day. Narrated by Thomas.

The Sleepy History of Jack o’ Lanterns – a romp through history to find out where the jack o’ lantern came from. Who first thought to carve a face into a vegetable, and how did the comical orange pumpkin become synonymous with the art and with Halloween? Narrated by Arif.

The Victorian Halloween Party – accompany a Victorian-era teen as she attends her very first Halloween party. This is a truly fascinating little corner of Halloween history! Narrated by Heather.

Nostalgic Pastimes

The Country Antiques Market – Wander through rooms filled with antique furniture and other fascinating items during a visit to a rural shop. Narrated by TK.

A Lazy Day in 1982 – Enjoy the sense of freedom and fun that long, childhood summers used to bring. We’ll follow Brian and his friends around their neighborhood as they enjoy their vacation back in 1982. Narrated by Marcellus.

A Cozy Snow Day in 1982 – Return to the same neighborhood you were in for Brian’s summer day and enjoy a good old-fashioned snow day with Heather and her friends. Narrated by Vanessa.

Relax at the Renaissance Fair – Huzzah! Spend a peaceful day exploring the market stalls, entertainment, and enchanted forest at the Renaissance Fair. Narrated by Simon.

A Relaxing Day at the Flea Market – Join two friends as they spend search for treasures on a beautiful spring day. Narrated by Arif.

Floating Down the Shenandoah River – spend a lazy day floating down the beautiful Shenandoah River. As we drift through its peaceful landscapes, we’ll experience the magic of its flowing waters around each and every bend. Narrated by TK.

A Peaceful Autumn Dinner Picnic and A Peaceful Autumn Farmhouse Dinner – Six friends gather each autumn to share a cozy evening on the cusp of autumn. Narrated by Thomas.

A Relaxing Lunch at the 1930’s Automat – Travel back through the decades to the late 1930’s, we’ll accompany a young woman named Ruby as she takes a delicious lunch break at a place called the Automat. Narrated by Heather.

Cat Stories

Tabitha’s Night Out – A curious cat takes an evening stroll through her neighborhood on Halloween while the local children are out trick-or-treating. Narrated by Heather.

Auggie’s Nighttime Adventures – We’ll follow along with a fluffy, mischievous cat named Auggie (okay, it’s based on my own cats), as she goes through a full nighttime schedule of top-secret cat business. Narrated by Simon.

Auggie Has a Snow Day – She’s back, and Auggie is observing all the peculiarities and comforts of an unexpected snow day with the family. Narrated by Simon.

Holiday Stories

A Cozy Friendsgiving – Four apartment-dwelling friends get together to contribute their own family favorites to a friendly Thanksgiving meal. Narrated by Heather.

A Holiday on Main Street – Katy spends a holiday evening taking in the festivities on Main Street in her historic town. Narrated by Arif.

Holidays at the Country Antiques Market – Return to the Country Antiques Market for a festive evening of holiday shopping and delicious treats. Narrated by TK.

An Evening at a German Christmas Market – Enjoy the festive sights and sounds of a classic German Christmas Market. Narrated by Simon.

A Magical Night Inside the Christmas Village – Ellie finds herself an honored guest in a truly magical Christmas village. Even as an adult, she discovers that holiday dreams really can come true, if you let yourself believe they are possible. Narrated by Thomas.