你喜欢听播客吗？尤其是夜深人静的时候，当温柔的声音娓娓道来，它既抚平了我们一天以来的情绪起伏，也陪伴着我们进入梦乡。近期，纽约时报的一篇报导指出，睡前听故事已经成为越来越多人的习惯，疫情的出现更是激起了一波收听潮流。有趣的是，这仿佛对应着我们儿时听母亲讲睡前故事的习惯。睡前故事对睡眠有帮助吗？成年人又为什么会被睡前故事吸引？

Once Upon a Time … Bedtime Stories Were Just for Kids

By Hillary Richard

Around 10 p.m., Lindsay Colford settles into bed with the dulcet drawl of Matthew McConaughey, who is about to take her on an audio journey through the cosmos until she falls asleep.

Ms. Colford is not alone. Thousands of other adults are now sleeping with storytellers. In our never-ending quest to get a good night's sleep, bedtime stories are the latest weapon in the arsenal.

No longer just for children, bedtime stories are now a key part of many mindfulness and meditation apps, which boomed in popularity throughout the pandemic. There's a reason adults are drawn to bedtime stories, and it goes beyond whimsy and nostalgia.

“A bedtime story works by detracting the mind from self-sabotaging thoughts and worries, which allows the body's adrenaline to come down so the brain can transition into the sleep state," said Dr. Christine Won, associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

“Bedtime stories help me zone out. Sometimes I don't even remember going to sleep," said Ms. Colford.

Rebecca Robbins, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, said bedtime stories for adults make perfect sense.

“Children are among the most well-rested in our society," she said. "It is easy to think that we, as adults, are somehow immune or too mature for these habits. But the truth is we could all benefit from applying the techniques we use with kids."