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5 Soothing Bedtime Story for Adults to Listen to

Published: Apr 29, 2025
Updated: May 15, 2025
Best Bedtime Story for Adults: 5 Stories To Fall Asleep To
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    Does the thought of work constantly keep you up at night? Or maybe it has just become a habit for you to overthink, especially at night. What if I told you that listening to bedtime stories could be a perfect sleep remedy?

    Bedtime stories can be a great way for you to unwind and relax before bed due to the nostalgic elements and soothing narrative. Discover the best bedtime story for adults to fall asleep in this article.

    Key Takeaways
    Bedtime stories are a great way to unwind and relax before bed, offering a unique way to escape into a good story.
    Many people read bedtime stories in their childhood and continue to enjoy them as adults, finding comfort in the familiar rhythm and soothing narrative.
    Bedtime stories can be a great way to calm the mind and prepare for a good night’s sleep, helping adults to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
    Classic fairytales such as Sleeping Beauty to adventures like Sinbad the Sailor, there’s always a bedtime story for each and every adult.

    Why Bedtime Stories Are Helpful for Adults

    Bedtime stories can help adults relax and reduce their stress levels so that it’s much easier to fall asleep.

    In fact, bedtime stories are getting increasingly popular on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcast. There are a few reasons why this is the case.

    The first is that you don’t have to strain your eyes. The problem with reading a book is that it tends to cause discomfort and focusing issues after a few hours. You’ll need to take frequent breaks in between.

    Apart from that, listening to bedtime stories also offers a healthy distraction from the stress and worries of daily life. It helps to stimulate the imagination so that you are fully immersing yourself in the experience. It may also invoke some positive childhood memories of when your parent used to read until you fall asleep [1].

    See also: 8 Bedtime Stories for Kids: Short Stories To Fall Asleep To

    5 Bedtime Stories To Listen To

    Here are 5 bedtime stories that we recommend you listen to for sleep. The genres range from classic fairytales and fantasies to adventures.

    1. Sleeping Beauty

    sleeping beauty shuteye

    Sleeping Beauty remains one of the most beloved classic fairy tales of all time. There’s a high chance that you’ve probably heard of it while growing up. Over the years, the story has been retold countless times and adapted to films and episode series.

    The story tells of a princess who has been cursed by a witch. The curse states that the princess will prick her finger on a spindle and fall into a deep sleep unless she receives true love’s kiss. In hopes of protecting her, her parents got rid of all the spindles within the kingdom. However, the prophecy remained fulfilled until a prince found and awakened her.

    2. Sinbad the Sailor

    sinbad the sailor shuteye audio bedtime stories for adults

    Sinbad the Sailor recounts the adventures of Sinbad on his seven voyages. This story is part of the Arabic folktales collection, A Thousand and One Nights. It follows Sinbad, who had been marooned after setting sail. Fortunately, Sinbad manages to survive this wildly dangerous journey through a combination of resourcefulness and luck.

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    3. The Secret Garden

    the secret garden bedtime story for adult

    The Secret Garden is a story that follows the character Mary Lennox, a 10-year-old girl living in India with her wealthy British parents. She grows up to be spoiled and selfish. After her parents were killed by the cholera epidemic, she was sent to live in England. There, she discovers from her chambermaid that there is a secret garden behind a wall. As she started tending to it, Mary grew to be a considerate and outgoing girl.

    4. Peter Pan

    peter pan bedtime story

    Peter Pan is a story about a free-spirited and fun-loving young boy who never grows up. He lives on a mythical island known as Neverland with a group known as the Lost Boys. On the island, Peter Pan gets to interact with fairies, pirates, mermaids, and even children from outside the island.

    Throughout the story, we see Peter Pan going through different adventures and challenges, particularly with Captain Hook.

    5. Anne of Green Gables

    Anne of Green Gables bedtime story for adults

    Anne of Green Gables is a novel that is set in the late 19th century. It tells the story of a young girl known as Anne Shirley. She is an orphan who had been sent to a pair of siblings by mistake. Initially, the siblings had wanted to adopt a boy so that he could help them out on their farm.

    Nevertheless, the siblings still decided to keep her, and the story follows through with Anne’s journey being on the farm, in school, and living in the town.

    How to Make Bedtime Stories a Routine?

    You can choose to incorporate bedtime stories at any age. The more that you listen to bedtime stories, the more it turns into a habit. This can help to signal to your brain that it’s time for bed, helping you to fall asleep and stay asleep much more easily.

    Some ways that you can make this a part of your routine include listening to it before bed. You can do it either by yourself or with a family member.

    You may also want to consider using a podcast, audiobook, or an app that allows you to access a wide range of stories conveniently on your phone or tablet.

    Conclusion

    Instead of reaching out for any melatonin supplements the next time you have trouble sleeping due to anxiety or stress, why not try listening to bedtime stories first? It is a good way for you to relax and soothe yourself to sleep.

    To listen to free bedtime stories, check out the ShutEye® app today. ShutEye® offers a wide variety of over 100+ bedtime stories for adults and children. Try it now, and start sleeping better tonight!

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    FAQ

    Yes, there are many stories that are suitable for an adult to listen to. This includes the classic fairytales such as Sleeping Beauty or classic literature novels such as The Secret Garden or Anne of Green Gables.

    There is no number one bedtime story per se. The best bedtime story ultimately depends on your personal preference and what you deem to be soothing.

    If you are reading to a child, you may want to opt for fairy tales or a bedtime story with a kid-friendly theme. If it is an adult, you can consider stories that explore deeper themes or stories that has more serious undertones.
    About authors
    Amirah is a content writer passionate about topics related to mental health and wellness. Recently, she delved into the realm of sleep health, spurred by a personal recognition of her subpar sleep habits and a desire for improvement. Amirah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Communication Studies from the University of Nottingham.

    NUK (n.d.) Why Adult Bedtime Stories Can Help You Fall Asleep [online]. Available at: https://www.nuk-usa.com/blog-why-adult-bedtime-stories-can-help-you-fall-asleep.html

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