Cool bedtime stories for adults
10 Bedtime Stories for Adults to Help You Get Some Serious Shut Eye
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I’ve never been blessed with the ability to fall asleep fast. I have to toss and turn and click around on my phone for an hour at least before I can even attempt to get some shut eye. It drives me up the wall sometimes when I have an early morning or a big meeting the next day and all I can do is lie there.
Bedtime stories as a kid always helped me shorten that empty time between when I got in bed and when I actually fell asleep. But, as I’ve moved into adulthood, the fairytales and fables have been replaced with social media and mindless scrolling. I know, I know, this so does not help my inability to sleep. It’s hard to turn it off sometimes and sit in silence instead.
Which got me wondering, are there bedtime stories for adults that could take the place of those from my childhood? There are apps, I know, that play white noise or block notification or limit your screen time. But I wanted that feeling of being a kid and reading a nice, gentle story before bed.
If you’re in the same boat I am, seeking that same feeling but a little more grown up, try one of these bedtime short stories for adults to see if you can get some sleep.
“Whitefoot” by Wendell Berry
“Whitefoot” focuses on the life of a mouse much in a similar vein of the many fables your parents read you as a kid. Whitefoot the mouse encounters some tribulations, obstacles from the large world around her, but (spoiler alert) she gets out unscathed, ready to keep at it. It’s long, gentle, and beautiful. You’ll have images of little Whitefoot’s journey with you as you fall asleep.
“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway
I’m sure many of you have read “Hills Like White Elephants” at some point in your school career. Masked in metaphor and implications, the surface level of the story is simply a conversation between a couple while waiting for their train. Sure, there’s subtext if you want to dig into it.
But, if you turn off your thinking brain and read the straightforward prose, you’ll be drifting off in no time.
“Ghosts and Empties” by Lauren Groff
Some of you may share a fondness for walking when you can’t sleep, much like the main character in “Ghosts and Empties.” She walks off her anger, her pent up feelings, through her neighborhood and the ones surrounding it. She ponders her neighbors, the people she sees, thinks about her home and her boys and her husband. If walking soothes you, this story will too.
“With the Beatles” by Haruki Murakami
“With the Beatles” traces a man’s discovery of The Beatles in his young adulthood through his life alongside his dating history. It has the feeling of remembering the first time you found your favorite band and how that love develops through your life, major events coinciding with new releases. You know that feeling when you play a song and remember where you were in life when you were obsessed with it? This story feels like that: nostalgic and comforting.
“The Book of Martha” by Octavia Butler
“The Book of Martha” is, at it’s core, about how to make a perfect world. Or, I guess, how difficult that is. God grants Martha the power to help humanity. But that proves much harder than she thought. In a careful exploration of belief, perfection, and humanity, “The Book of Martha” is sure to catch your attention without keeping you up too late. Plus, it’ll give you something to think through when you close your eyes, pushing those pesky daily worries out the window.
“Cousin Tribulation’s Story” by Louisa May Alcott
This short story set on New Year’s Day follows a family who sacrifice their meal to help their neighbors in need. It’s heartwarming and sure to restore your faith in humanity before you go to sleep. Plus, it’s only 800 words! You won’t be up late into the night to find out what happens, and you’re sure to have a smile on your face when you do.
“Bruce and the Spider” by James Baldwin
This quick, fable-like story follows a king as he watches a spider.
The spider keeps failing to connect her web, and the king, also having failed in battle, sympathizes with her. But she keeps trying, and so he decides to take her cues and try again himself. It’s sure to inspire you in its simplicity and put you to sleep with it too.
“Instructions” by Neil Gaiman
This is more of a poem, and intended for a younger audience perhaps, but the rhythm is sure to lull you no matter your age. As the title implies, “Instructions” is a list of, well, instructions on how to leave home, how to interact with the world, and how to come back again. You’ll meet an imp, an old woman, a ferryman, an eagle, and ghosts in time. You’ll pick strawberries and return favors and grow up in your time away. This is one of those bedtime stories for adults and children alike.
“Kew Gardens” by Virginia Woolf
This short stories centers around the Kew Gardens in London on a summer day. Various pairs of people walk past the flowers, each lost in their own thoughts.
A young couple, a pair of men, and an elderly couple meander through the narrative. A snail makes an appearance as it climbs a flower. The story is gentle and slow, making it perfect to help you drift off tonight.
“A Telephone Call” by Dorothy Parker
“A Telephone Call” is a sweet, light-hearted story of a woman waiting by the phone. That’s it. Much the same way we wait for that text or Snapchat now, the main character sits beside the telephone waiting for a man to call. The internal monologue and lack of much else won’t raise the blood pressure or keep you too engaged. You’ll sleep, maybe thinking of your own telephone call.
I hope these bedtime stories for adults helped you get some shut eye. If you’re still looking for something low-key or soothing, try these comforting books for hard times or these comforting comics, if those are more your speed. You can also be read to sleep with these soothing audiobooks to fall asleep to.
10 Best Bedtime Stories for Adults to Calm your Mind and Better Sleep
Having a good sleep is a great gift for adults nowadays.
However, as technology arises and gadgets make most people awake late at night. Good thing, we can still go back to our bedtime routine when we are still young, reading a book before going to sleep. Unlike browsing the net, getting yourself a book has a lot of benefits for your health. It is like giving a treat to your brain while learning more. Today, let us introduce some of the best bedtime stories for adults that will help you relax and get you to sleep at ease.
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- 30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani
- The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- The Fault in our Stars by John Green
- Good Trouble by Joseph O’Neill
- The Light Between the Oceans by M.L. Steadman
- To The Moon and Back by Phila Vocia
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner
- A Selfie As Big As The Ritz by Lara Williams
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
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First on the list of the readers-picked adult sleep stories is The Secret History authored by Donna Tartt.
She spent years working on this classic in the academic genre, although very skeptical that it would engage many readers. In this book, a group of college students at a prestigious New England university shares a terrible secret. As the story goes on, characters lose their morality while trying to rise above the worthlessness of their own life. Anyway, the book is both inspired by and about a love of Greek mythology.
30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani
30 Things I Love About Myself will make doors for self-acceptance and self-love in spite of imperfections. Among the adult sleep stories listed here, this is more personal and will teach you how to embrace your flaws. Also, it will help you to make room for new friends, experiences, and lessons in life. Radhika Sanghani depicts here the modern Indian women who are self-worthy as others. Overall, it is an uplifting novel and really good for the soul, especially for those women who are suffering from depression right now.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
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One of the best romantic short bedtime stories for adults put you to sleep is The Time Traveler’s Wife. The twist of the story will make you believe in time travel or rather say what true love can do. Henry and Clare are deeply in love and even time, obstacles, and age won’t stop them. Well, the story might a little bit intriguing but really make sense up to the end.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
The Fault in our Stars of John Green is a heartwarming story of a young girl who is diagnosed with cancer. Despite losing Hazel’s will to live, the plot twist of meeting Augustus Waters excites the reader. This makes it one of the recommended bedtime stories for adults to fall asleep free. Not just that, in 2012, this book was the #1 best seller in the New York Times and Time Magazine.
Good Trouble by Joseph O’Neill
Next to our list is the primary story collection from a well-known writer Joseph O’Neill.
Good Trouble is like a series of subtle poems that captivates the readers with the manifestation of O’Neill’s character. Additionally, he wields a sharp blade that expresses the strange and violent with resolute frugality and control. There is a subtle appreciation for fictional cleverness that somehow manifests itself in the way the story is moderately plotted.
The Light Between the Oceans by M.L. Steadman
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Award-winning author M. H. Hassan’s bedtime stories for adults The Light Between the Oceans is published by Liam Stedman. Tom Sherbourne, a war hero who still bears the scars from his past, is the subject of this tale. One day Tom came across a boat that was destroyed, on it was a baby and a dead man. As they were already down about not being able to have children, Tom and his wife Isabel decide to take care of the girl.
To The Moon and Back by Phila Vocia
If you were born between 1946 and 1964, To The Moon and back is a perfect match for you.
You might laugh or cry as Vocia recalls key events that affected the Baby Boomer generation. However, nostalgia will strike as getting through the life and experience of the specific group in the story. An in-depth recounting of some of your most treasured memories might be a better option for a bedtime story.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
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Considered one of Orwell’s best works, Animal farm is among the most worth-reading adult sleep stories. It is said to be a political fable on Russia’s Bolshevik revolution and Joseph Stalin’s Betrayal. In order to have freedom and equality, the animals on the farm decide to get rid of their human master. But things didn’t turn out well for them in the end. The other farm animals realized they couldn’t distinguish between pigs and humans when the pigs began acting like humans.
The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner
Another ideal book of bedtime stories for adults to fall asleep free is The House at the Edge of Night.
It is a character-rich and interesting book written by Catherine Banner. Further, is full of a magical book that transports you to the cafe on the little island of Castellamare. It is known by the name The House at the Edge of Night. Here, you can relate a someone’s satisfaction of finally finding the place where he belongs.
A Selfie As Big As The Ritz by Lara Williams
To complete the list of best adult sleep stories is Lara Williams’ A Selfie As Big As The Ritz. It is a good book for those who are wondering about the purpose of a selfie, especially millennials. Moreover, it provides some good insight into the new-age issues every Millennial confronts on a daily basis. Besides, every now and then, before you go to sleep at night, think about the millennial perspective. If anything, it will make you feel better to know that you had the pleasure of living for so long in a world without the term “selfie.”
Conclusion
As browsing these top 10 bedtime stories for adults, we know that you got nostalgic about reading before sleeping.
Try one of these night-time stories and see if it can help you fall asleep easily. Furthermore, you can also share the best book for you and let others know it in the comment section. Don’t forget to follow GitMind for more exciting tips like this in our future blogs.
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Tales for adults. Funny Stories #240
[b] Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka [/b]
Once upon a time there was a sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka. Alyonushka was smart and hardworking, and Ivanushka was an alcoholic. How many times did his sister tell him - "Don't drink, Ivanushka, you'll become a kid!" But Ivanushka did not listen and drank. Once he bought some burnt vodka in a stall, drank it and felt that he could no longer stand on two legs, he had to lower himself by four points. And just then the shameful wolves come up to him and say: "Well, the goat, did you drink it?". And so they slapped
he's on the horns that he threw back his hooves.
..
And his sister Alyonushka got his apartment, because good always triumphs over evil!
[b]Arabian folk tale "Ilyich and Aladdin"[/b]
In a certain sultanate, in a certain emirate Aladdin lived. Once he found an old lamp in a landfill and decided to clean it. As soon as he began to rub, a genie came out of the lamp, and let's fulfill wishes. Well, Aladdin himself, of course, ordered the palace
, to marry the princess, the magic carpet is the six hundredth and all. In short, since then, all Aladdin's problems have become a light bulb. Just a little - rub and dictate the conditions to the genie. And then one day he went on a cruise, and left his wife at home. A
there is a man walking down the street and shouting - "I am changing old lamps for new ones!"
Well, the wife was delighted and changed Aladdin's lamp to Ilyich's lamp. And how much later Aladdin did not rub this light bulb, Ilyich did not get out of there and did not fulfill his desire. This is how technological progress defeated the backward Asian superstitions.
[b]A joint French-Russian fairy tale about patriotism[/b]
Father Dubois had three sons: the elder Jacques, the middle Jules and the younger Zhandurak.
It's time for them to get married. They went out to the Champs Elysees and began to shoot in different directions. Jacques hit the deputy of the National Assembly, but he was already married.
Jules got into the cure, but religion does not allow him to marry.
And Jean the Fool hit a frog, and in fact he didn’t hit that one, but missed. The frog tried to explain to him in Russian that she was in fact a princess, and turned into a frog,
so that she would not stand for a visa at the embassy, but Jean was French and did not understand Russian. He cooked a frog according to an old recipe and became a chef at the
restaurant in Paris.
Moral: sit, girls, in your native swamp and don't croak. There is nothing for you to do on the Champs Elysees. And we have enough fools at home.
[b]About the tail[/b]
Once a fox stole a whole load of fish from a man.
Sits and eats. And a hungry wolf comes out of the forest. "Fox, give me fish!" "Go and catch it yourself," the fox replies. "But how? I don't even have a fishing rod," says the wolf. “I don’t have it either,” said the fox, “but I threw my tail into the hole, so I caught it.” "Here, thanks for the idea!" - the wolf was delighted, tore off the tail of the fox and went fishing.
[b]Seaside folk tale about the Old Man and the Golden Fish[/b]
There lived an old man with his old woman near the blue sea. The old man threw a net into the sea, a net came, and there - a pike. “What’s the matter?” the old man was surprised. “It seems like there should be a goldfish. I’m not Emelya, after all.” "That's right," the pike replied. "The goldfish and I have been working in the same sector of the market for a long time.
And just recently, an agreement was reached at the board of directors on the takeover of one enterprise by another." And the pike burped satiated.
he had his own business, his own clientele, and there was only one assistant, and that one was a bullshit.
But nothing, the priest coped. Especially since the assistant worked literally for so long - well, bullshit, what can you say. However, even
and the bulldozer ran out of patience. “Master,” he says, “when are you going to pay?”
And pop him and replies: "Go to hell!". Well, the bastard went. And he sold all the trade secrets of the priest to the devil. The devil then enticed all the clients from the priest, and he went bankrupt. And serve him right. Because the staff needs to be paid on time, and not wait,
until they click on your forehead.
[b]Petersburg folk tale about a smart old woman[/b]
A soldier was walking home from service. He knocked on the way to a house. "Let me go," he says, "to spend the night, masters." And in the house lived a greedy old woman. "Spend the night, sleep," she said, "only I have nothing to treat you with." "It doesn't matter," the soldier answered, "just give me an ax, and I'll cook porridge out of it." "What are you,
soldier, - the old woman was indignant, - do you think I'm completely stupid? What will I chop wood with then?" So the soldier remained without salty slurping.
And his name, by the way, was Rodion Raskolnikov.
organize a joint venture with a bear. "What are we going to do?" - asks the bear. "This year - to grow wheat," the man answers. "But how to divide?" "- the bear agreed. They grew wheat, the peasant took all the tops for himself, sold, sits and rejoices, counts money ... And then
a bear came and brought his roots ...
[b] Moscow folk tale about money and whistling [/b]
Somehow the Nightingale the Robber wanted to get gold and silver. He went to Koshchei the Deathless to offer security services. Koschei got angry, unleashed an unclean force on him - the Nightingale left a little alive. Then he went to Zmey Gorynych to demand a ransom of 90,005. The Serpent was angry, blazed with fire - the Nightingale barely carried his legs. He is sad, he sees - towards Baba Yaga. He thought at least to get money from her, but Yaga departed with a bone leg so that the white light became not nice to the Nightingale. He cried then0005 is bitter, and Yaga took pity on him.
- Go, - she said, - to the road, and hide there in the green bushes. As you envy a traveler - whistle with all your might, he will give you money.
The Nightingale listened to the advice of the wise, but since then he has not known the need. That's how traffic cops started up in Rus'.
[b] A medical folk tale about Koshchei and a healthy lifestyle. [/b]
Ivan Tsarevich married a stupid frog ... no, not like that. Ivan the Fool married the frog princess, and she ran away from him with Koshchei. Ivan was offended and decided to kill Koshchei. How long, how short Ivan walked around the world - he came to Baba Yaga.
- Where are you going, good fellow? Yaga asks.
- Well, grandmother, you didn’t get drunk - you didn’t feed, but you ask? Ivan says.
- You are a fool, a fool, - replies Yaga. How can I feed you if you haven't washed your hands?
Ivan washed his hands, told Yaga about his misfortune. And Yaga answered him:
- The death of Koshcheev is in the needle, the needle is in the egg, the egg is in the duck, and the duck in hospital number 8 is under the bed.
Ivan went to hospital #8, found a duck, broke an egg and put Koshchei on a needle. This is where Koshchei ends. Drug addiction, it does not bring anyone to good.
[b]Spanish folk tale about the sleeping beauty.[/b]
Once upon a time there was a king and a queen, and their daughter was born. And they arranged a ball, and invited everyone there, except for the most harmful fairy, because they knew that she would come anyway. The most harmful fairy came and said: "Are you happy? Well, well. But when
princess turns 18, she will become a drug addict and inject herself with such a dose that she will pass out and not wake up." The princess turned 18 years old, she became a drug addict, injected herself and did not come to her senses. And the king and queen, courtiers
and the servants took a sedative out of grief and also passed out. And gradually all the roads to the castle were overgrown with a dense forest. A hundred years later, a handsome prince rode past and asked what kind of reserve it was.
The good people told him the whole story and added that only then would the princess come out of the blackout when the handsome prince kissed her. The prince bravely rode through the dense forest, entered the castle, took the key to the treasury from the king's neck, loaded all the gold and diamonds on his horse and rode back. And he didn't kiss the princess, no. In fact, why does he need a drug addict?
[b]Frog Marriage[/b]
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, a father had three sons - two stupid ones, and the third was none at all. The father decided to marry them. He took me out into the yard and ordered to shoot whoever hit where. The first son fired - hit the air. The second shot -
hit the police. The third shot - hit the headstock. Father spat in his hearts, gave each a frog and went to sleep. And what kind of frog gender, and did not check ... In general, it turned out badly.
[b]
Danish folk tale about the little mermaid[/b]
Once upon a time there was a little mermaid somewhere in the outback.
And she wanted to be a pop star. She went to the witch.
- This can be arranged, - says the witch, - only you will give me your vote.
- No problem, - the little mermaid answers, - why do I need it? You, most importantly, make your legs longer.
- Okay, - the witch agreed, - just keep in mind, if you don't unwind, you will become sea foam.
And what do you think, did it become foam? No matter how! For a month now, he has been holding the top lines in the charts. And this is no longer a fairy tale, but the harsh truth of life...
[b]
Administrative folk tale about a traveling frog[/b]
Once upon a time there was a frog. She lived in her swamp and saw nothing but mud. And her duck neighbors traveled abroad every year. Well, the frog, of course, also wanted to, so she persuaded the ducks to take her with them. She clung to the twig with her mouth
, and the ducks picked it up with their beaks and flew away. And from below, the heron looks and is surprised: "Wow, what smart ducks! They came up with such a method of transportation!"
"It's not ducks, I'm smart!" - shouted the frog and fell back into the swamp.
Then the heron ate it. Moral: we, of course, have freedom of speech, but if you want to fly high, keep your mouth shut. And they won't eat it.
[b]
Administrative folk tale "Winnie the Pooh and all-all-all"[/b]
Somehow they appointed Winnie the Pooh in the forest to manage the economy. He took Eeyore and Piglet as his deputies. And he put Rabbit to work, because he is the smartest.
But no matter how hard the Rabbit tried, under the leadership of Winnie the Pooh, the economy still fell apart. They began looking for the culprits. Went to Winnie the Pooh. He says, "What about me? Look at my deputies - one donkey, the other a pig!"
They come to Eeyore and Piglet. They say, "What about us? Look at our boss - he has sawdust in his head!" In general, in the end, the Rabbit was given in the ears. And everyone else was given a hat. From rabbit fur. 9 more about it0005 wrote a play, "Woe from Wit" is called.
[b]Untitled[/b]
There lived a king and his queen near the blue sea.
They lived and lived, but they had no children. And the king says to the queen:
- Bake me, queen, a gingerbread man!
- Completely fucked up, or what? the queen answers. - What am I to you, cook?
- Oh, you, - the king was offended, - but I took you as a simple Cinderella, shod and dressed you, brought you into people ...
And the fairy tale does not end here at all. Their fairy tale ended on the second day after the wedding ...
Funny Tales
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Once upon a time there was a Bunny and a Squirrel. They were friends, they loved each other. Somehow the Bunny suggests:
- Squirrel, let's live together, get married.
- How so, because you are a Bunny, and I am a Squirrel.
- The power of our love is beyond stereotypes and species-racial considerations, Squirrel.
They began to live as a family, and there is love, and understanding, and there is sex. There are just no children. They got sad. Bunny says:
- Do we really not have children because I am a Bunny, and you are a Squirrel? How so? Let's go to Owl, she's smart, she knows everything.
They came to the Owl and the Bunny says:
- Owl, tell me why we don't have children? Because we are Bunny and Squirrel?
- Are you crazy or what? You don't have children because you are a boy and he is also a boy!
There lived an old man and an old woman near Lake Chad. The old man went fishing. The first time I threw poison curare - only toads surfaced. The second time he threw poison curare - only crocodiles surfaced. The third time I threw poison to the curare - the Golden Piranha surfaced and wanted to say, they say, let me go old, I will fulfill three cherished desires, but I couldn’t, because I was paralyzed. The old man returned to the old woman with prey, the old woman was delighted, they salted the toads for the winter, they dried the crocodiles for the summer, and they immediately ate the Golden Piranha right raw.
Thus, all three wishes were fulfilled by themselves.
Once upon a time there was sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka. Alyonushka was smart and hardworking, and Ivanushka was an alcoholic. How many times did his sister tell him - “Don’t drink, Ivanushka, you will become a kid!” But Ivanushka did not listen and drank. Once he bought some singed vodka in a stall, drank it and felt that he could no longer stand on two legs, he had to lower himself by four points. And just then the shameful wolves come up to him and say: “Well, the goat, did you drink it?”. And so they hit him on the horns that he threw back his hooves ...
And his sister Alyonushka got his apartment, because good always triumphs over evil!
Bear's hut
- Who ate from my plate? Father Bear asks menacingly.
- And who ate from my plate? the eldest son asks.
– And who ate from my plate? - squeaks the youngest son.
- You fools, I haven't poured you yet. - answers the bear.
