Why do travel tales put people to sleep?
Podcasts and meditation apps are turning travelogues into bedtime stories. Here’s why the trend works.
“Deep within the eastern slopes of the snow-capped Andes mountains lies a mystical region largely untouched by mankind….”
Imagine a soothing voice softly narrating as listeners close their eyes and snuggle down in their beds.
“Tonight, we’ll explore a place that seems to exist outside of time, where tropical jungles and grassy highlands exist in perfect harmony.”
Are you paying attention? Actually, it doesn’t matter. The story aims to do one thing: put its listeners to sleep.
Chronic sleep problems are rife, with over a third of adults in the U.K. affected by insomnia. To remedy this, many are bringing back a childhood staple: the bedtime story. The snippets above are from a 45-minute story on the subscription app Calm.
Many of the more than 2,500 meditation apps on the market offer nighttime relaxation help. Dozens of podcasts, such as Sleep Cove, and online video channels, including Soothing Pod’s YouTube channel, exist simply to lull adults into a deep slumber.
These are not your kids’ bedtime stories: adult stories tend to be longer, more descriptive, meandering, and without the moral arc often found in children’s books. Celebrities including Michael Bublé and Idris Elba are lending their voices to these calming tales.
