← Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories
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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. It's wonderful that we talk about mental health more openly these days. However, for many people, asking for help can still feel difficult and intimidating. In fact, BetterHelp's 2026 State of Stigma report surveyed 2,000Americans and revealed that 85% of Americans believe getting support is wise, yet 74% say society discourages people from doing so. It's therefore glaringly obvious that we still have a lot of work to do to ensure everyone knows it's perfectly okay to seek help and try therapy. So maybe we can all encourage those around us that bit more to understand that being open and vulnerable really is a positive thing. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform and it's a great place to kickstart your therapy journey. Don't let stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com getsleepy that's betterhelp.com getsleepy
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hey friends. Olivia from Ollie. Between new routines and the ultimate group project known as parenting, you need science backed solutions that work with life. That's where Ollie comes in. Start your mornings off right with multis made to support nutrition and immune health. Choose from our lineup of gut supporting probiotics and we've got occasional sleep support to help the whole fam chase their big dreams. Head back to class with the number one Gummy supplement brand. Stock up on ollie.com today. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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This episode is brought to you by Welch's Fruit Snacks. Back to school season can be tough on parents, but choosing a snack you
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and your K both get behind doesn't have to be. Stock up on Welch's Fruit Snacks, made with whole fruit and now made with no artificial dyes.
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Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. As always, I'm your host, Thomas. Thank you so much for tuning in. Tonight we'll be rejoining Alice and her rescue dog, Quill for a slow, peaceful Sunday. And as with the previous two episodes, which I'll make note of in the episode description, this story was written by Alicia Levesque and read by Vanessa. Before we catch up with Alice and Quill, let's take some time to find our own moment of stillness. Allow your body to relax in your bed. Mentally run down your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Make sure that every part of you is supported and comfortable. Adjust here and there. Needed. The first step towards an excellent night of sleep is making sure your body has the optimal conditions for rest. Once you've connected with your body, turn your attention to your mind. Imagine a desk covered in papers, pens, and the debris of a successful working session. This is a little like your mind. You've made it through the day with the help of your fabulous mind, and now you can clean up your workspace. Take the time to imagine putting everything away. The pens and pencils go together in the drawer. The papers can all be filed away for another day. The empty coffee cup can be washed and put away ready for tomorrow. Once your mental desk is completely clear, allow space for your imagination. Now it's time to enjoy a relaxing day with some familiar faces as we rejoin Alice waking up to a new morning. This is where our story begins.
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On a Sunday morning, Alice awoke to the familiar feeling of a wet nose pressing against her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled as her dog, Quill, looked back at her. While Alice was just waking up, it was clear that Quill had already gotten his first burst of energy for the day. He waited for her patiently, the gentle swishing of his tail the only thing that gave away his eagerness. Alice moved her warm blankets aside and took a moment for a good stretch. The successful bakery she owned usually got her up quite early, but she always enjoyed her Sundays without an alarm. Alice was used to being up before the sun, but today it already shone brightly through her gauzy curtains. She got up and walked over to the window, feeling Quill close behind her. Pulling the curtain aside, she stopped for a moment of stillness. Quill sat next to her, looking outside and tilting his head in his usual gesture of curiosity. Alice didn't have a huge yard, but it was the perfect size for a medium dog like Quill. She lived in a quiet little neighborhood where wildlife was abundant anywhere you looked. Almost every house had a bird feeder that was refilled on a regular basis. The lush green trees were home to playful squirrels, and sometimes you could even catch a glimpse of deer coming to peruse the trees. As a puppy, Quill had loved to bark and chase the various wildlife. However, he was beginning to mellow out pleasantly with time. Alice looked down and followed his line of sight. Currently, he was watching the butterflies flit around the coral bells Alice had planted in her garden. In this moment, she felt fortunate to have so much sun. Simple joy to wake up to. Stepping away from the window, they began their favorite Sunday morning routine. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Alice opened the front door and let Quill rush out ahead of her. She looked at the coffee hopefully. Maybe after this I can keep up with him, she thought. Quill dashed towards the butterflies, chasing them playfully. They scattered a bit, but they stayed near the flowers, sensing they had nothing to fear from the sweet, playful dog. Settling into her porch rocking chair, Alice sipped her coffee slowly, taking in the sights and sounds around her. She wasn't the only one to start her Sunday off peacefully. During the week, her neighbors cars were coming and going, school buses picked up kids, people went to work and mail was delivered. But today the only sounds were of nature. She could hear the calls of several different birds above the familiar rhythm of Quill's panting. Today was one of the last few days of spring, and it seemed that all of nature knew soon there would be hot summer days when Alice would sell out of lemonade and iced coffee at the bakery. She delighted in the fact that her bakery was dog friendly as well. All of her canine customers loved her famous doggie ice cream. She had some new recipes she wanted Quill to test out for her, but that could wait until summer was officially here. For now, they would enjoy the last days of spring to the fullest. For as long as she could remember, Alice had been an outdoors person. She grew up walking trails and going on hikes with her family. There was never a time in Alice's life when she wasn't accompanied by a canine companion. Since childhood, she and her brother had loved exploring the outdoors with a beloved dog by their side. It was Alice's love of nature that had led her to Quill. She had found him as a stray pup in their local park and carried him home with her that very day. Ever since, she and Quill had been uninstalling, inseparable, adventuring duo. Owning a bakery often kept Alice indoors, but she didn't mind. Baking was her other passion, and she was able to create a space where Quill would be with her all the time. He didn't seem to mind being at the bakery either. As he grew, it was clear that he loved socializing with other dogs. Being in a small town, a dog friendly bakery was a dream for Quill as much as it was for Alice. He was the best little host that Alice could ever imagine. The sound of distant laughter brought Alice back to the Present moment she looked over to see some kids playing tag a few houses down. Smiling at the kids, she turned to see Quill coming up to the porch to sit at her feet. He had exhausted himself exploring the yard and was ready for a short nap. Finishing the last of her coffee, Alice took advantage of Quill's downtime to go inside and get ready for the day. After their brunch, Quill climbed up in the bay window where Alice had placed a large plush pet bed just for him. He loved to lie there, basking in the warm sunlight shining in. Leaving Quill contented, Alice went to clean up and get dressed. After a warm shower, she pulled on some loose pants and a light short sleeved T shirt. No matter where the day took them, Alice would be nice and comfortable. She went over to the shoe rack by the door and picked up a pair of hiking boots and a pair of sneakers. On Sundays, Quill got to pick her shoes. The hiking boots meant walking the trails and engaging in her long time hobby of geocaching. The tennis shoes meant a walk to the local dog park. The dog park was a fairly new addition to their town and Quill had loved it from their very first visit. Alice delighted in seeing her hometown become more and more dog friendly all the time. Since her dog bakery and the dog park opened, they were seeing an increase in new faces. Alice had always loved adventure, but she found she loved it even more when Quill could tag along with her. It would seem that many other people out there shared the sentiment. Just then, Alice felt a nudge on her left side. The dog park it is. She said aloud upon hearing the word park. Quill's tail picked up speed until it became a blur. Sharing in his excitement, Alice patted Quill's silky head. He continued to nudge her as she tried to lace her tennis shoes. When they got to the door, Quill sat immediately, his whole body shaking with excitement as he tried to hold still. Alice gave him praise as she carefully put the harness over his head and clipped it in place. With their walking bag slung over her shoulder, they were out the door and into the afternoon sunlight. The dog park was just a couple of blocks away from their house, but the walk felt even shorter. When walking together, Alice found herself stopping often so Quill could take in all the new spots smells on their way. But whenever he knew they were going to the park, it was all he could do not to bound in front of Alice, his excitement overpowering his urge to sniff. They soon arrived at the gate, Alice picking up to a light jog to keep up with Quil. Once inside, she unclipped his long leash, freeing him to enjoy the park. Quill took off at a run, doing a big circle around the perimeter. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Alice stood and watched him. His joy was contagious. Watching her best friend so carefree, always filled her with a sense of lightness. As Quill slowed down, he came back to her, panting with glee. Smiling at the goofy look on his face. Alice walked over to the small picnic table under the gazebo, unpacking their walking bag, she set a small bowl down for quail and filled it from her water bottle. He lapped up a big drink of water before running off once more. Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air, Alice consciously relaxed her posture. While she loved running into her friends and neighbors here, she also appreciated the times when she and Quill were the only ones at the park. In a town so small, they found themselves alone here nearly half the time. If Quill could talk, Alice guessed he probably felt the same way. He was so friendly, and it was precious to watch him interact with other dogs. However, he seemed to have just as much fun when it was only him and Alice. Quill came back for another drink of water and a quick scratch on the head. With all of his excess energy out, he took off a bit more slowly this time. Alice watched him moving across the park, his nose to the ground. He must be making up for all the sniffs he missed on the way here. There were always new smells here, and Quill liked to take his time reacquainting himself with the park on each visit. Since opening the bakery, Alice had been making an effort to be more mindful of the slower moments in her life. Watching Quill was a wonderful lesson in mindfulness. No matter how often they came here, he took his time, savoring his surroundings. Even when things were busy at the bakery, Alice found that taking a moment to observe her canine customers always grounded her. Sometimes Alice felt like dogs had a bigger task training their humans than the humans had training them. On Quill's next trip back to her, she reached into their walking bag and pulled out a slight, soft, foldable frisbee. Quill's eyes visibly lit up at the sight of one of his favorite toys. He sat down immediately as Alice drew back her arm to let the frisbee sail. Quill bounded after it enthusiastically, catching it a moment before it hit the grass. He shook it back and forth, enjoying the prize after his splendid catch. After a few moments, he brought it back to Alice and sat patiently as he waited for her to throw it once again. As excited as he was to play, he was being very gentle with her. It was almost like he knew she needed this day to rest and recover. Something that Alice always appreciated about Quill was how he seemed to grow and evolve with her. They had spent his puppy days hiking trails and looking for tiny treasures as they followed various geocaching coordinates. As Quill left his puppy years, they opened the bakery where he embraced his role as host, making their two and four legged customers feel welcome. Quill was still young, but he was definitely not a puppy anymore. At this season in their lives, they were ready to savor the small moments that they might both have considered boring just a few short years ago. Life was always changing and Alice was thankful to have such a faithful and constant companion by her side through it all. Seeing Quill's enthusiasm for each stage helped ease some of the resistance that humans seem to naturally feel towards change. A soft bark in the distance brought Alice back to the present moment. Quill stood up quickly, running to the gate. Neither of them even had to look up. They would know that bark anywhere. Alice went over to join Quill as a mirror image of him trotted towards them. The woman on the other end of the leash waved at them as they crossed the remaining distance to the gate. Of all of the lovely individuals Alice and Quill had met since opening the bakery, these two were their favorites. Before Alice had rescued Quill, there were rumors about two stray puppies running around together. It turned out Quill's sister Kira had been caught by a local rescue. She was quickly adopted by Tori, who was now walking through the gate of the dog park. By coincidence, Tori had bought the house next to Alice's, while Alice had seen Tori coming to work on it. Often, they didn't officially get introduced until Tori walked into the bakery with Kira on opening day. As the two dogs greeted each other now, Alice was once again struck by how much alike they were. It wasn't simply their looks, it was their mannerisms as well. Every time they got together, Tori and Alice stood quietly for a few moments, content to watch the precious interactions of the two siblings. Finally, Tori broke the silence. She told Alice that she had knocked on their door, but there was no answer. Still, she had a pretty good idea of where they might be. The moment Tori said Quill, Kira put her nose to the ground and led them to the park. The sweet story made Alice smile. She loved the natural sibling bond that the dogs had shared from the moment they met. Since then, Tori had become like the sister Alice never had. The four of them met up several times a week. With the park, the bakery, and their houses, Quill and Kira had plenty of playdates. As the two women chatted, Quill zoomed past. With Kira close on his heels. They raced the perimeter of the park, trading off who was in the lead. With their tongues hanging out, their faces had the cutest expressions of pure canine joy. The beauty of being friends with other dog lovers was that neither woman would ever, ever find it strange to stop mid conversation to smile at their dog's antics. Dogs knew how to live in the moment like no other creature on earth. Loving one seemed to be a gateway into learning to live for the joy of right now. I can't believe how quickly they've grown up, said Alice. Tori nodded her head in agreement. They're about to be celebrating another birthday, Tori reminded her. With rescue dogs, it was often impossible to find out when exactly they were born. From all her customers, Alice knew it was common for people to celebrate their dog's birthday on the day they were adopted. Since Quill and Kira had been found as puppies, that day could be too far off from their actual birthday. Alice and Tori had adopted the dogs on different dates since meeting. The two women decided to pick a day in the middle to celebrate Quill and Kira together. The first birthday they held at the bakery had been spectacular. Tori had helped Alice bake two wonderful cakes for the special day. One for humans and one for dogs. Alice's parents were kind enough to step behind the counter that day so Alice and Quill could fully enjoy the party. The result was an open house style event. All their friends and regulars stopped in to enjoy some complimentary cake and give the guests of honor a few ear scratches. Quill and Kira had baskets in the attention. All their canine friends thoroughly enjoyed the cake and each human left with their smile a bit brighter than when they entered. Alice observed that the sort of person who would attend a dog birthday party seemed naturally more open to the whimsical things in life. These were her people. After the spectacular success of the event, Tori had suggested that they do it every year. Alice certainly didn't need to be convinced. Sitting on the bench in the gazebo, they watched Quill and Kira play while they made plans for the upcoming birthday party. This year, Alice wanted to include some interactive games for both sets of partygoers. Tori had an exceptional idea that she began to eagerly explain. They could have numbered cups filled with treats, some for dogs and some for people Each person could draw a number when they entered to determine which prize they and their canine companion would get to discover. A few of the cups would have a special prize or toy inside. If they covered the cups with tissue paper, it would be easy enough for the dogs to open with their noses, forming a visual in her mind, Alice smiled. She always appreciated Tori's outside the box creativity. I think you found the perfect idea for the party, alice said. Next, it was Tori's turn to be delighted as Alice shared her ideas for a new doggy cake recipe she was working on. Kira had been on a kick with dried sweet potato treats lately, and the banana sweet potato cake sounded like it would be fantastic. Alice and Tori both turned around at the sound of panting. The two siblings were sleeping slowly approaching, completely worn out from their day of fun. Somebody's going to let me sleep until my alarm goes off, alice said to Quill as he always did when she talked. He wagged his tail a bit faster and nudged her cheek with his wet nose. Alice chuckled and put her arm around him. The four of them left the park together, walking incompanionable silence. The neighborhood was beginning to bloom, the soft colors of spring slowly brightening to summer. Sometimes nature was simply too beautiful to focus on anything else. Coming to Alice's house, they all said their goodbyes, and Tori and Kira walked on to their front door. Alice wasn't sure why, but Quill always liked to stay outside until he saw Kira go in. Alice liked to think he was being a little gentleman, watching over his sister. After Kira was safely inside, Quill went to the door. Once inside, he immediately returned to his bed in the bay window as Alice sat to take her tennis shoes off. The day outside was lovely, but it felt good to sit in the comfort of her own home. Seated in her comfy chair right next to Quill, Alice settled in. She noticed that the fading sun shining through the window had made the chair slightly warm. The softness and the gentle heat instantly relaxed her. Looking over at Quil, already asleep, she knew he felt just as calm and peaceful as she did. Appreciating the view of the setting sun, Alice allowed herself to become fully immersed in this peaceful moment. In the warm familiarity of home. Alice and Quill ended their restful Sunday simply enjoying the stillness together.
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Sam.