← Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories
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Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad free, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to getsleepy.com support now a quick word from our sponsors.
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Plan B is a backup birth control option that's there for you when things don't go according to plan. It specifically works after unprotected sex and before pregnancy occurs by tempting, temporarily delaying ovulation. Plan B is available nationwide at all major retailers and through delivery apps like DoorDash, no ID, prescription or age requirement. It's the number one OBGYN recommended brand of emergency contraception and it won't impact your future fertility. That's freedom to be use as directed.
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If you love Get Sleepy or any of the other shows we produce here at Sunba Studios, you'll love our app called White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds. With hundreds of sounds to choose from and the option to create custom mixes for your perfect soundscape, it can help you sleep better, improve focus, reduce anxiety, relieve tinnitus, and calm babies. As a listener of Get Sleepy, we have an exclusive offer for you. Download the White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds app and get 30 days free access to all of the premium content. Just go to deepsleepsounds.com getsleepy that's deepsleepsounds.com getssleepy welcome to get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. We're now coming to you five days a week and we really do appreciate all your kind feedback about our new schedule. We're so glad to be able to be here and help you all get a good night's rest even more often than before. Tonight we're going on a magical quest with Queen Seraphina and a mysterious white doe. They'll join forces with the fairies to restore dreams and peaceful sleep to Seraphina's kingdom. Be sure to join us back here tomorrow night for our very first Friday night encore episode where we'll be diving deep into the archives to bring you one of our all time most popular episodes. The first, the original Rainy Day Bakery. I can't wait for you all to hear it. Perhaps for the first time, or maybe for something like the 20th time. That's how much some of you listeners adore Lily and her bakery. As for tonight though, settle yourself into bed now and consider how this is your very own kingdom made for good sleep. This space you have created and furnished for the purpose of rest is your sanctuary away from the demands of the world. Nothing is keeping you from enjoying your bedroom and the comfort you find within it. If you ever find yourself slipping into habits that create an unwanted association with your bedroom, like scrolling on your phone in bed, or even using your bed as a base to do work or study on a laptop, for example, just remember that it's important to maintain a positive and restful association with this space. It's all part of what's typically known as sleep hygiene. And although some of it may sound cliche, it really can be so important. Your bedroom should primarily be where you come to sleep. And I understand that this is a privilege and it's not always possible to separate this space from other areas of our lives. But even if you need to use your bedroom for other purposes, there is still a healthy balance you can try to maintain to help you associate being in your bed itself with good, nourishing sleep. And that is what awaits you tonight. So enjoy the comfort of your pillow, the support of your mattress against your back, And with your eyes closed, your jaw unclenched and your shoulders relaxed, take two or three deep, full breaths. With every exhale, let go of thoughts of the day and any residual energy in the body. Now it's time for me to hand over to Jessica as we prepare to meet Queen Seraphina. This is where our story begins.
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Once upon a time, in an enchanting and tranquil kingdom, there lived a queen named Seraphina. To all that knew her, she was as beautiful as she was kind, and as wise as she was humble. Of all the lands near and far, Seraphina's land was the one with the most spectacular natural beauty. Other kingdoms might have larger castles, but Seraphina had the most majestic ancient forests. Other kingdoms might have more impressive jewels, but Seraphina's land bloomed with the most beautiful flowers and echoed with spellbinding birdsong. And everyone, whoever they were, young and old, rich and poor, were welcome to enjoy the splendour of the kingdom, for the queen's riches were surpassed only by her generosity. During the daytime, the woodlands in Seraphina's kingdom were a thing of unparalleled beauty. Each path through the ancient forests was strewn with gorgeous stones as pretty as pearls, glistening in the warmth of the sun. Wild roses grew everywhere, their petals gleaming like crimson diamonds. And each tree branch was heavy with fruit. There were pomegranates, more glittering than garnets, and pears, as luscious as orbs of polished Jasper. The valleys dazzled with marigolds brighter than citrines, and violets, the colour of amethysts. Yet the beauty of the day was incomparable to to the wonders of the night. After sunset, as the last rosy hues of daylight faded off the horizon, the moon would rise above the enchanted forests. And all through the night, magical moonbeams danced upon the leaves of the sleepy trees. The stars would then spread, sprinkled their dreamy dust, over the rooftops in towns and villages, conjuring up the most wonderful dreams. But for some time, the queen had noticed that there was no starlight at night, even when the sky was cloudless. And she had received news from her councils that her people, even though they slumbered at night, were sleeping a dreamless sleep. This made her wonder what had happened and what could be done to bring back dreams to the good people of her land. Seraphina consulted with wizards and enchanters, with poets and oracles, with wise men and women. Yet nobody knew how to reverse the dreamless spell which seemed to have been cast upon the kingdom. One day, Queen Seraphina no longer felt like sitting around and chatting with her ladies in waiting. As she always did when there were no pressing matters at court, she sent them away, telling them that they might spend the day as they wished. She would spend her day outside in the fine weather, Seraphina headed out to the forest on her own, seeking solace and peaceful reflection among the rivers and trees that she knew so well and where she always felt serene. For days she had been unable to think of anything other than the strange disappearance of dreams. And while she was not one to easily succumb to brooding, she did feel a mounting sense of confusion. Seraphina herself had not dreamt a single thing many nights in a row. This was most unusual, since she had always been an avid dreamer. Now her greatest wish was to restore the enchanting, dreamy nights that she and the people of her land had enjoyed so very much. After a long walk through the woods adjoining her castle, Seraphina found herself by the side of a waterfall. It sprung from a rocky hillside, cascading in a gush of clear crystalline water. She sat down on a rock beside the pool. There were sweet sounds all about her. The soft, tumbling waters of the waterfall, the singing birds that whirled in the sky above, and a million little sounds of whispering leaves and swaying branches, which put her completely at ease. But despite the beauty of her surroundings, Seraphina was lost in her thoughts. Then, rustling through some bushes and branches, she heard a soft movement. She turned her head in the direction of the sound and was pleasantly surprised to see A beautiful white doe. The doe stood before her, resplendently white among the lush green foliage that surrounded them. The creature's eyes were wide, and there was a depth to her gaze that seemed to radiate with kindness and wisdom. The doe moved a little closer to the queen, and she stretched out her hands slowly so as not to spook the animal. But the doe was not skittish. She moved with grace and lightness right up to Seraphina's outstretched hand. Then she lowered her soft nose into Seraphina's palm, as if greeting her with utmost reverence. Aren't you a beauty? Seraphina beamed as she patted the doe's head. The doe bent her forelegs and then her hind legs, nestling in by the queen's side. Stroking the doe's soft and silky back, Seraphina began to speak of what had been on her mind lately. She told the doe of how beautiful the nights were in her land, how magically the moonbeams danced, and how splendidly the stars sparkled. Most importantly, she told the doe how the stars would sprinkle their dust on her sleeping people, conjuring up pleasant dreams. But something had happened. No one in her kingdom dreamed anymore, and she did not know how to bring dreams back to her people, nor indeed to herself. None of her councils had known what to advise her. Not the wizards, nor the enchanters, not the poets, nor the oracles. Beautiful doe, said Seraphina. If only I knew what to do. She stroked the doe's soft, warm nose. Do you dream? Seraphina asked with a sigh. What about birds and flowers? She felt slightly more at ease since she was surrounded by the old woods, the waterfall, and this sweet, kind dough that had nestled in cosily at her side. There is much to be thankful for, Seraphina thought. And all things pass, she reminded herself. And in that moment she decided that she would focus on being grateful for what she had and be patient about her troubles. No sooner had she thought this, the white doe began to speak. Gracious queen, the doe began. Your gratitude and patience are what make you a great queen. And because you are such a kind and humble person, I shall help you restore dreams to your land. Your greatest wish shall be granted. The doe bowed her head in reverence. Seraphina could not believe her eyes. While she was used to the many enchanting wonders of her land, she had never heard an animal speak before. Seraphina smiled at the doe and thanked her for wanting to help. She then asked what could be done about the matter. The Doe explained that in order to find out who had cast the spell on her land, Seraphina would have to follow her to the land of the fairies. To this, Seraphina instantly agreed. The doe then cautioned her. The land of the fairies had never been seen by mortal eyes, and the road there could be tough. They would have to travel through thick, stormy clouds that surrounded the fairies domain. Again Seraphina agreed without hesitating. There was nothing she would not do for the people in her kingdom. The doe then said that the queen needed to consider one final thing before embarking on this journey. She asked Seraphina whether she trusted her fully. Seraphina said that there was no one she trusted more in this instant. So kind and attentive had the doe been, and so gentle and wise that the queen felt comfortable to follow the beautiful animal to the ends of the world and back. Follow me then, said the doe. The animal skipped lightly across a few stones, scattered about the sparkling pool, and leaped behind the cascading waterfall. Without thinking anything of it, Seraphina hopped from stone to stone. When she reached the far end of the pool, she continued bravely beyond the waterfall to whatever awaited there inside the cavern. Seraphina looked about for the white doe but could not see her. She looked at her clothes and not a drop of water had touched them. Her gown and silk slippers were as dry as before. Seraphina looked around once more, searching for the doe, when out of the shadows, a young woman stepped towards her. The woman had glowing skin, short sparkly hair, and a green silk ribbon tied in a bow around her head. She also wore a green silk dress, just like the ribbon in her hair. When Seraphina looked into the woman's eyes, which were so warm and deep, she realized that this must be the doe turned into a fairy. It's you. Seraphina exclaimed, throwing her arms around the fairy in a friendly embrace. The fairy smiled sweetly and nodded. My fairy name is Beryl, she said. Together they walked on through the cave and came out into the stormy land that lay between them and the Kingdom of the Fairies. For what seemed like a long while, Seraphina and Beryl wandered through a rainless storm. Nevertheless, the boom of thunder and the sparks of lightning flew all about them. The wind pulled at them as if trying to pull them from each other. But the queen and the fairy held hands firmly, trusting one another to make it through. All through this landscape, the trees were bare, the grass wilted, the nettles were high, and no birdsong could be heard. Thick clouds eddied in the sky, stirring the air and unsettling the dust beneath their feet. Only a little further, said Beryl, squeezing Seraphina's hand to comfort her. But Seraphina had no doubt and felt no fear. She trusted Beryl completely. Then a light shone in front of them as they reached a clearing. The clouds scattered, the wind settled, and somewhere in the distance a nightingale began to sing. Seraphina and Beryl had at last arrived at the land of the fairies. They no longer had to fight their way through nettles and thorns. Instead, suddenly, roses and jasmine formed a canopy above their heads, and the ground beneath their feet was fragrant with violets. There were orange trees so immensely tall and dense that they provided a pleasant shade over their path. Then, as Seraphina and Beryl reached the end of the trail, there was a glint of something so dazzling that the queen had to shield her eyes. What is that? She wondered, looking to Beryl. That is the fairies magical domain, said Beryl. And look, here come some of my friends to greet us. As she said this, a chariot stopped in front of them. On the rose lined path, several fairies alighted, each holding a flower fashioned out of precious stones. But the flowers were so so lifelike that only by touching them could one tell the difference. The fairies gathered these flowers into a posy and offered it to Seraphina. Gracious queen, they said, we do not know how to thank you for your trust. No one before you has dared to cross the stormy land to reach our realm as a gesture of our gratitude. Please rest assured that we will find a way to soothe your worries and grant your wish. Seraphina felt as though she were in a dream, even though she knew it could not be. The fairies, the posy maid of precious stones, and the fragrant jasmine and oranges above them, all of it was far more real than the most vivid of dreams. Seraphina was taken to the queen, fairy Calypso, without delay. It was late in the afternoon, and everyone was hoping to break the spell before nightfall. Seraphina, Beryl and the fairies made their way across the bridge of Clouds, which arced over a river of petals until they reached Calypso's court. And there, in a magical hall of mirrors, they found Queen Calypso on her throne of crystal. The two queens bowed to one another, and then they set about trying to understand why dreams had vanished from Seraphina's kingdom. Calypso asked for the Dream Fairy to be brought in. She was the one responsible for all the dreams of the fairy kingdom. Moments later, the Dream Fairy flew into the Mirrored Hall. She rode in a pearl chariot pulled by a blazing phoenix, which shone brightly in hues of orange and red. As the Dream Fairy dismounted, Calypso wasted no time. What can you tell us? She asked. I flew over Queen Seraphina's land, said the Dream Fairy, and saw the most peculiar thing. Then the Fairy went on to recount that someone had placed an invisible veil, or a mesh net of sorts, between the Earth and the sky. This prevented the star's dream Dust from falling on the kingdom and conjuring dreams. The Dream Fairy had looked for ways of removing the net, but had not been successful. Queen Calypso then called on the Fairy of Mischief, who was responsible for pranks and tricks, and the Fairy of the Night, who could see things that no one else could. Both arrived in the Crystal hall with haste to deliver their news. The Fairy of Mischief said that there did not seem to be any trick at play. And the Fairy of Night said that she had indeed seen the net. It hung heavy with many nights of dream dust in its folds. The Fairy of the Night had noticed something which the Dream Fairy had not. The net was tied at the north, south, east and west corners of the sky with ribbons made of fine silvery seaweed. At that moment, all the Fairy said in unison, the Crab Fairy. As it turned out, the Crab Fairy would often go fishing for seashells to adorn her castle, and she was always looking for new places to hang her many nets to dry. But the Crab Fairy was also known to be terribly forgetful, and the other fairies had found her drying nets time and time again in the strangest of places. There had been no evil spell. This was merely the workings of a slightly forgetful fairy drying her seashell nets. Seraphina sighed with relief and hugged each one of the fairies. It was a moment of pure happiness, and she could not wait to return home to set everything right. All they had to do now was remove the net and dreams would be restored to Seraphina's kingdom. But they all agreed that the net must be very heavy. For many nights it had been gathering stardust in its folds. They would need the help of other fairies to take it down and carry it back to the Crab Fairy. Queen Calypso instructed that all the fairies be brought in. A short while later, a mild rumble could be heard outside the mirrored hall. Through the large windows of the palace, they could see all the fairies arriving in their carriages. They had come to help with removing the net. Each fairy landed her carriage gracefully on the cloud bridge outside Queen Calypso's castle. No two carriages were the same. One fairy had an ebony chariot drawn by white pigeons. Another had an ivory carriage drawn by ten black crows. Each fairy had chosen different rare materials for their chariots and spectacular animals to draw them. Some carriages were drawn by scarlet and blue macaws. Some were drawn by long tailed peacocks. And one chariot was pulled by the most beautiful turquoise lovebirds. Seraphina gasped at the magnificent sight. Then, turning to Beryl, she realized that the fairy had once more turned into a white doe. Behind her now was a marvellous chariot made of flowers. Jasmine, gardenias, and so sweet peas. Each blossom was as dazzling white as the doe herself. The doe motioned with her head for Seraphina to board the carriage. And this she did. In a quick swoop, all the chariots lifted off from the Bridge of Clouds. They flew high up towards the sky, where the sun was now settling in a splendid medley of rosy hues. From the ground, the carriages looked like a shimmering rainbow. By the time they reached the sky above, it had grown dark. The stars had come out of their daytime slumbers and were shining bright. Far, far below, Seraphina could see a familiar sight. The cottages, clock towers and ancient forests of her land. The Night Fairy rode from one corner of the sky to the other in her chariot of sapphire pulled by birds of paradise. Since she could see what the others could not, the Night Fairy directed the other fairies on how to untie the ribbons that held up the net. First, she directed chariots to what must have been the western corner of the sky, for indeed, the sun had just set beyond that point. Then the Night Fairy motioned them over to the north, south and east corners too, until the net had been reeled in and removed from the sky above Seraphina's land. The queen was happy beyond words. Now dreams would be restored to her kingdom. She felt very thankful to the fairies and incredibly relieved that there had been no spell. But it had been a very long day. She had wandered far and wide and seen things she had never even imagined. Leaning back in the chariot, she yawned softly, her eyelids feeling heavier and heavier. The white doe, knowing exactly what to do next, took a gentle turn and began to descend towards the queen's castle. After landing the chariot quietly on the floor of Seraphina's chamber, the doe turned back into Beryl. She led the sleepy queen out of the carriage and into bed. Beryl tucked her in and whispered in her ear. See you soon, dear friend. By now, Seraphina was fast asleep she dreamed of the woods around her castle, the beautiful waterfall and all the flowers that grew among the old, majestic trees in her forests. And as she dreamed this, one by one, the people in her land began to dream too. The stars could now sprinkle their dream dust freely and tranquility was restored to Seraphina's land. After this, the Crab Fairy never forgot where she hung her seashell nets. The white doe and the fairies often visited the queen's castle. And Seraphina, along with the people of her land, dreamed sweet dreams forever after.