Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Animals of the Amazon

Starting point is 00:00:00 Before tonight's episode, I want to let you know about our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium, the best way to experience the show and get a good night's sleep. With Get Sleepy Premium, everything is ad-free. You'll receive a bonus episode every week, and have full access to our entire back catalogue. Your support really helps, and means so much to us. Simply tap the link in the show notes to learn more. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you two three episodes each week. Have you ever wished that we'd include soothing nature sounds as a background

Starting point is 00:00:41 throughout a get sleepy episode? sounds as a background throughout a get sleepy episode. For example, maybe you would like to pair tonight's story with the sound of gentle rainfall. Well, now you can. We have partnered with the Deep Sleep Sounds app to help you create soothing soundscapes that will play in the background while you're listening to get sleepy. Here's what you need to do. Simply download the Deep Sleep Sounds app, choose your preferred sound and add it to the mix by tapping in the circle next to it. Make sure you go to the controls tab within the deep sleep sounds app and

Starting point is 00:01:27 toggle the button to allow background audio. This will mean you can listen to get sleepy and the app sounds at the same time and you can control the volume of the specific sounds in the mix tab. It's the ultimate sleep experience. Through our partnership with Deep Sleep Sounds, you can get a 30 day free trial by going to deepsleepsounds.com slash getsleepy. That's deepsleepsounds.com slash Get Sleepy or just follow the link in the show notes for a 30 day free trial of the Deep Sleep Sounds app. Welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy.

Starting point is 00:02:25 I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for tuning in. Tonight we'll be exploring the magnificent animals of the Amazon rainforest in South America. It's a place of incredible biodiversity where you'll see everything from majestic jaguars to slow moving sloths. Now them, get nice and comfortable in bed and give yourself permission to unwind and distance your thoughts from the day. You can be proud that you've made it through another day, no matter how significant or or not it may have felt. Every day tends to throw up challenges and tasks that we have to overcome. So you deserve to feel a sense of pride and gratitude for all you are and all you've accomplished.

Starting point is 00:03:51 are and all you've accomplished. As you'll hear in tonight's story, every creature in the animal kingdom has its own tasks and to-doos on a daily basis. But invariably, the experience of rest and rehabilitation is never neglected. So, I really hope you enjoy listening along to this story, just as much as I enjoyed recording it for you. Relax and embrace the natural pool of rest and experience that you deserve to enjoy. And know that you can drift off whenever you feel ready. For now, you can just follow the sound of my voice, as we head to the heart of Amazon rainforest. It's divided by the longest river in the world, which surges across more than 6,000 kilometers of the South American continent. In the rainforest, there's a constant buzz in the humid air. These are the sounds of the countless animals and insects that live here, communicating through

Starting point is 00:05:57 chaps, clicks and whistles. Over a million species coexist in this fascinating place. Moving away from the river, the forest thickens. There are narrow mud paths trotten into the earth, surrounded by a maze of vegetation. Darded by the dense foliage, the creatures that live here are in their own private world. They move freely through the forest, up and through the trees. The monkeys of the Amazon can usually be found up towards the canopy, swinging from branch to branch. But right now, a large black howler monkey is ambling across the ground near the riverbank. He moves nimbly through the dust on all fours. Across the river, a jaguar watches the howl among key.

Starting point is 00:07:25 She remains still for a moment, sensing her surroundings with her powerful nose. Then she decides to move towards the water to get closer to the monkey. Smooth rocks emerge above the surface of the gushing river, placing one paw after the other. The jaguar tries to maintain her balance on the cool stones. Her long claws scratch the rocks with each step. This sound attracts the monkey's attention. He turns around, searching onto the rocks in the river. The refreshing coolness of the water seeps into the fair on her stomach, while the muggy forest air warms her back. This perfect combination of heat and chill calms the jaguar and her breathing slows. As she breathes, her stomach slides back and forth along the core rocks. She closes her eyes and relaxes for a moment. The rich sense of the rainforest waft towards her nose and she breathes in all of the aromas. When she opens her eyes, she sees that the monkey has wandered off into

Starting point is 00:09:31 the trees. But the Dracula doesn't mind. The Amazon is the most biode diverse place on earth? There are plenty of other animals to look at. Now another smell approaches. It's a strange aroma, both sweet and sharp. The jaguar turns and looks through the trees behind her, wondering who this scent belongs to. And as she looks up, she sees it, the anaconda. The huge snake hangs from the lower branches of a tree. Its sparkling greens and blacks shimmering in the light. The smooth scales are covered with an ornate pattern of black shapes. The Anaconda is artis here, hanging patiently from the tree. It could happily linger here all day. There's only one creature that can dislodgeget from its resting place. The Jaguar in hails deeply, then lets out a roar.

Starting point is 00:11:16 The noise echoes through the trees, sounding more powerful with each reverberation. All of the nearby animals scurry away. Sensing these vibrations, the snake quickly slivers into the forest in search of a more peaceful peaceful tree branch. Settling down on the rocks again, the jaguar is cushioned by a spongy moss. Overhead, some mccaus squawk happily as they saw through the air, carried by the wind. The golden parakeets then saw up into the light, where they're unburdened by the humidity of the trees. Occasionally, they even burst through the top of the silky mist above the canopy. The glorious sunlight shines on their vivid yellow plumage, so each feather resembles

Starting point is 00:12:39 a sunflower petal. pedal. Then the birds go back into the mist enjoying their exhilarating dash through the sky. After flapping for so long, their wings begin to feel loose and tired. into feel loose and tired. The parakeets drift down towards the trees, dropping comfortably through the mist and back into the forest. To the birds, this place smells like home. The fresh greenery is mixed with the comforting scents of their nests. In one of these nests polished eggs are blanketed by fragrant leaves, keeping the chicks warm. The mother parakeet cradles an egg in the crook of her powerful wing, knowing they will hatch in the next day or two. At dusk, the sunlight fades, and the parakeets settle down to roost. There's a buzz in the air during this beautiful twilight period. Both the nocturnal and diurnal animals seem to be awake. Knock-turned-alarmos are those who sleep during the day and are awake at night,

Starting point is 00:14:30 while dion-alarmos rise and move with the sun. And then, among all the noises of the forest, there's a quiet, tinkling sound. One of the parakeet eggs now has a maze of thin cracks. A small ivory beak pokes out of the shell, swiveling around. Slowly the beak pushes around the edge of the shell, feeling for a weaker part. Then with a majestic shuttering, the newborn chick emerges from the egg. One by one, the other chicks hatch. By morning, five golden birds are huddled in the nest, hopping about as they encounter life. Their excited flitting is accompanied by happy, carefree squalcs as they find their voices for the first time. The proud parents gaze lovingly at their chicks, but the adult parakeets can't stay in the

Starting point is 00:16:12 nest for too much longer. It's time to find something to eat. So, off they fly again, searching for something tasty and nutritious to feed their young. In the shrubbery below, they spot some plants with tiny leaves. They look fresh and small enough for the young chicks to eat. The birds pluck off some of the leaves andets fly over the river. Down below, a caiman floats slowly along. This impressive reptile is a member of the alligator family. With his long body lying flat in the water, he resembles a lock. He basks in the fresh cool water, idle and unbothered. The gentle current is gradually tugging the Cayman downstream. As he relaxes in the river, enjoying the soft breeze, he swishes his long tail lazily.

Starting point is 00:18:00 Every now and then he dips his head beneath the surface and lets the refreshing water run across his snout. After lounging in the river for a while, the Cayman paddles over to the verdant bank which is covered with shrubs. The earth here feels squishy with soft mud clinging to the deep-rooted trees. The Cayman slowly climbs over the mushy ground, then settles down comfortably in a sunny spot. This spongy bank is an ideal bed. With the dappled sunlight warming his body, the Cayman begins to relax, feeling a serene weightlessness. He relaxes his legs, closes his eyes, and slowly drifts towards sleep. As the Cayman doses by the river, the sunlight trickles down through the trees,

Starting point is 00:19:34 warming the ground. Now another creature comes to explore the sunny riverbank, a young taper. This hoofed mammal looks a little bit like a brown pig with a long snout. He has a sleek, short-haired coat with a remarkable pattern of white stripes and spots. When the curious young taper catches the sight of the sleeping Cayman, he moves closer. He's never seen such a large reptile before. The taper sniffes inquisitively around the riverbank and makes an endearing squealing noise full of curiosity. His coarse hooves squelch through the mud as he moves towards the Cayman. Just then, the mother taper arrives. She's much larger than her calf and has a sleek grey coat that ripples as she moves. The mother taper communicates with her child using a unique series of clicks and whistles. She tells him to stay by her side and usheres him away from the Cayman's resting spot. Then the pair of tapers trot off back to the safety of the forest. With the tapers

Starting point is 00:21:35 gone, the Cayman is left to bask alone in the sun, enjoying the peaceful solitude for a while. But nearby, the rainforest is teeming with life. A small grey oppossum wanders across the ground, and a bulbous toad hops by. There are all kinds of amphibians in the Amazon rainforest, including a variety of glass rocks. One of them is hopping along right now in a nearby clearing. From a distance, she looks like any regular frog with smooth green skin and spindly fingers and toes. The webbing on her feet allows her to jump more easily from tree to tree. A long pink tongue is rolled up inside her mouth, which is shaped into a thin-lipped

Starting point is 00:22:58 smile. The frog uses her powerful throat to make a vibrating, ribbit-ing sound. This gliding melody harmonizes with the calls of her companions in the forest. The poison dart frog, the golden-eyed tree frog and the smoky jungle frog. Each has its own little tune of rolling croaks, providing the droning base for the symphony of the rainforest. What makes the glass frog special is that she can camouflage herself, turning her skin transparent to avoid detection. It's a unique, entirely natural form of protection. Although they're not exactly a pack, the frogs often keep company, colonising entire trees at a time.

Starting point is 00:24:22 Sometimes they'll paddle about amongst the marshes together, keeping an eye on the colourful fish that swim past. The glass rock mostly lives a slow, peaceful existence, but these relaxing pauses during the day are building up to a thrilling flurry of action. When the frog jumps, she bends her spindly but powerful legs, launching herself into the air. All the tension from her body vanishes as she floats, arms and legs flapping in the breeze. The glass frog soars over the shrubbery. When she's airborne, her joints become wonderfully loose and her entire body is relaxed. Then, the target tree approaches. Her sticky feet catch the leaf perfectly. Now she can watch the joy of the other frogs bounding about and catch her breath as she prepares to jump again. Later in the day, after a rest, the frog decides to look for a new adventure.

Starting point is 00:26:07 She shimmies down the tree and moves towards the river. Here, the scales of orange fish glint in the sunlight. The fish and small bubbles towards the surface, which make a glugging sound as they pop. Unleashing her springy legs, the surface only briefly, soaking her dry body, then leaps out of the water. The frog sails through the air towards a twisted log sticking out of the river. As she purges on the gnarled wood, she can feel the ridges of the wet bark under her webbed feet. Below in the clear water, little grey tadpoles are wriggling around. A moment later, the frog is off again, diving into the depths to be with the tadpoles. They swarm around her, their movements creating minute currents. Then after a quick swim, the frog springs up

Starting point is 00:27:52 out of the water and draws in a long breath. All this movement is tiring. The frog needs to rest for a while, so she bounds onto a nearby tree and sits on a low branch. Here she catches sight of another creature who's also enjoying a rest. This motionless ball of fur is a sloth, reclining on the tree branch. While the other creatures of the forest rush around, the sloth lives by his own clock. When he's finally ready to move, the sloth clings to the massive tree trunk, hooking into the sturdy wood with his long, smooth claws. He hugs the trunk tightly, feeling safe and secure here. Then, as he begins to climb, his small BDIs slowly look upwards. slowly look upwards. The sloths eyesight is weak and when he gays is in the direction of the distant canopy it's little more than a blower. But he can use his powerful sense of smell and touch to navigate as he climbs the tree. Ambling onto a branch, the slough lets his long arms and legs dangle freely.

Starting point is 00:30:10 He fills the tension flowing down and disappearing. This branch is the perfect width, allowing the soft stomach to rest comfortably. He lets his very body go limp and his eyelids gently close. As he rests here in the shade, he is found by the branches that move in the breeze above him, letting in occasional rays of sunlight. Even in his sleepy state, the slough remains aware of his surroundings. state, the sloth remains aware of his surroundings. His sensitive nose can still detect the sense of insects. He smells the ants and spiders on the forest floor, and dragonflies near the riverbank. To the sloth, some insects are sweet, while others have a powerful, bitter scent. After a short rest, the sloth moves along the branch, shuffling back to the trunk. He feels like a change of scenery, so he can experience a different branch, or even a different

Starting point is 00:31:56 tree. The sloth enjoys testing all of nature's mattresses. But there's no rush and he's cautious to avoid disturbing the peace of the other resting animals. Emus slowly and deliberately through the tree. On his way to the next branch, the sloth decides to stop for a snack. He rarely feels hungry as his stomach is just as patient and unharried as the rest of him. But these leaves look particularly tasty, so he reaches out and clutches a fistful. There's a soft crackle as he pulls the leaves from the tree. Then, the sloth languidly brings the leaves towards his mouth and choose slowly, saving the juicy taste. savoring the juicy taste. They are fresh but they also have a spicy tang. He leans against the trunk by as close as he works through this meal. Now resting on softer bark, the sloth wraps himself around another branch. touched high up in the canopy, ready for a nice long rest.

Starting point is 00:34:13 Closing his eyes, the sloth drifts into sleep, dreaming of starry nights and beautiful sunrises. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... …aimeditimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitimitim ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Animals of the Amazon

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