Hello, dear listeners, and welcome back to Drift Off. I'm your host, Joanne. Before we settle in, I want to take a moment

to thank you for being here. Your support means so much. And if you'd like to keep this podcast

going, add free and filled with soothing bedtime stories, consider subscribing to the premium feed.

You'll get weekly bonus episodes and early access to some as well.

It's a wonderful way to support the show while giving yourself even more dreamy stories to fall asleep to.

Tonight, I'm sharing a special rebroadcast of an episode first aired in July

2022, the hypnotic sleep story of the princess and the pea.

This isn't just a simple bedtime story.

It's a carefully crafted sleep experience using the tool of repetition to

allow you deeper and deeper into relaxation. You'll hear the story three times, each reading

a little slower, a little softer, all set to the gentle sound of falling rain, inviting a sense of hypnotic

sleepiness. In the princess and the pea, a single tiny pea hidden beneath layers of mattresses

keeps a restless princess awake. In many ways, our minds can be the same.

One small thought, one lingering worry, can press into our awareness, keeping us from fully

sinking into rest.

But just as we can soften the layers of a bed, we can soften the layers of our thoughts,

gently smoothing them out with each breath, each soothing word, until all that remains is a deep sense of comfort and ease.

So let's take a moment to settle in now.

Allowing your body and mind to unwind completely.

Find a comfortable position.

Letting your body sink into your bed fully supported.

Take a deep breath in through your nose.

...