Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Autumn Leaves in Vermont

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 free episodes each week. Welcome to Get Sleepy. Where we listen, we relax relax and we get sleepy.

Starting point is 00:00:47 I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for tuning in. Tonight, Heather will be reading to us, and as many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are now enjoying the autumn season, we'll be following Mariah as she takes a scenic hike through a Vermont forest. She'll enjoy some of the most beautiful leaves in North America as they reach the peak of their full colour. And at the end of the trail, a special view awaits her, a waterfall cascading down a mountain side. It's time to get nice and cozy in bed now, ready to enjoy tonight's story as you gently make your way towards sleep. And if you're feeling anxious about getting to sleep or staying asleep, just give yourself time and patience.

Starting point is 00:01:59 Try not to put any pressure on the need for sleep. Focusing it never tends to work. That's something I know all too well. I've spent many nights desperately wishing sleep will come my way, but that only creates a pressure which in turn causes stress and resistance within the body and mind. So instead of trying to sleep, just listen along tonight and focus on giving your body a chance to feel rested and relaxed. Because that is something you do have control over. A measiest way to settle in is by slowing your breathing, drawing the air in deeply, and

Starting point is 00:03:00 easing it back out for a little longer than the in-breath. Bit by bit, feel any tension, anxiety or stress melting away. Eat checksale takes you another step deeper, breathe deeply and naturally. Meanwhile, allow your mind to drift to a mountain overlook on a sunny autumn day. There are trees as far as the eye can see, dressed up in their finest full colours. Deep red, bright yellow and vibrant orange. A breeze kicks up and the sound of russling leaves fills the air. Some flutter gently downward, joining other fallen leaves that coat the ground. And this is where our story begins. Mariah breathed in deeply, enjoying the feeling of the chilly air entering her nose and filling her lungs. The smell of fall was everywhere. Brittle fall and leaves crunched under her boots, a delightfully satisfying sensation as she walked a bit closer to the overlook. She approached the waste high stone wall that separated the gravel parking area from the

Starting point is 00:05:46 mountain below and looked down. The view was stunning. The land sloped sharply to the sparkling river far below, and on the other side, it ascended back up into the mountains just as deeply. The deep thee of the river valley cut a wedge through the rolling mountains, covered with trees proudly showing off their fall colors. It was early October, and the leaves hadn't yet reached their peak, not here in the Hudson Valley anyway. But Mariah was headed north to Vermont, where the colder weather meant the height of leaf

Starting point is 00:06:39 peeping season was already in full swing. Mariah pulled her soft hoodie around her frame, grateful she had the warm fabric to ward off the chill as she took in the view. Every fall the leaves turned in slightly different ways, And there was always something that Mariah found surprising. This year, it was the reds that stood out the most. The maples and their wide burgundy leaves struck a bold melody while the birches yellow and the sycamores orange played a softer harmony. As beautiful as the color here in upstate New York was, she knew even more spectacular views awaited her in Vermont. This season would be brilliant. She couldn't wait to get back on the road.

Starting point is 00:07:53 Later that night, Mariah warmed her toes by a roaring fire, enjoying the feeling of her thick, soft socks hugging her feet. The drive to the cabin in Stovermont had been even more beautiful than she'd imagined. The hues of the trees that line the road grew gradually bolder the further north her car traveled. grew gradually bolder the further north her car traveled. By the time she passed a sign reading, welcome to Vermont, the Green Mountain State, the colors seemed to take on a life of their own. They shifted subtly as the wind jostled them.

Starting point is 00:08:45 It almost seemed as if they were waving hello. Mariah smiled as she snuggled deeper into the plush green armchair she had pushed just a little closer to the fire. The flame of the stone fireplace had quickly warmed the tiny cabin single-room interior. The smell of the fire mingled with a scent of citrus and honey from her steaming mug of lemon tea on a table next door. Outside the window, a full moon had risen over the shadowed outline of the trees. Mariah squinted her eyes at its brightness.

Starting point is 00:09:40 A light she knew was reflected from the sun on the opposite side of the globe. Tomorrow when the sunlight returned, the leaves symphony of colors would be revealed again. Mariah's eyelids began to droop and she let them flutter closed, her breathing now slow and steady. When she opened her eyes after what she thought was just a moment, the fire had gone down to a few glowing embers. The moon had risen above her line of sight, but she knew it wasn't far away by the silvery glow it still cast on the tree line.

Starting point is 00:10:41 Time for bed, Mariah decided. She stretched her arms and legs, enjoying the relaxing sensations in her muscles. Somewhat reluctantly, she got up from the warm nest of the armchair and padded over to the big brass bed in the center of the room. Mariah turned back the sheets and hopped in, the fresh scent of clean linen filling her nose. She snuggled underneath the big cover, grateful for its warmth because of the slight chill in the air, left by the dying fire.

Starting point is 00:11:34 Her eyes drifted close once again, and in no time she was sound asleep. The next morning, Mariah's stomach growled as she sat at the counter of a local diner, eagerly awaiting her breakfast. The guidebooks had all recommended the diner for its warm atmosphere and world-renowned pancakes. Mariah could hardly wait to try them. A family sitting in a nearby booth had just ordered a tall stack, and the scent of butter and maple syrup filled the air. From the kitchen, Mariah could hear the sizzle of the griddle and the cooks shouting orders to each other. She wondered if this

Starting point is 00:12:37 latest batch of batter taking shape on the griddle was for her. The place was just as welcoming as the guidebooks described it. It was small, with only six booths, each with comfy looking benches, a postered with red vinyl. Three locals were eating their breakfast alone at the counter, but all had greeted each other warmly as though they looked forward to seeing each other here every day. So too did they all know the friendly server by name? An older woman with a grey bun and a flowery apron, everyone called Geraldine. Geraldine must have pegged Mariah as a flatlander immediately.

Starting point is 00:13:36 What bemonters call someone from the more densely populated, lower lying states to the south. But she didn't pry over whether Mariah was visiting. She just smiled and refilled Mariah's mug with coffee, calling her honey. Order up, Mariah heard her cook announce, and she hoped the plate of pancakes he placed on the wood lip of a pass-through window was her own. Sure enough, Geraldine quickly placed the fluffy rounds in front of Mariah. She could feel the warmth of the grittle rising in puffs of steam from the delicious looking stack. Eager to dig in, Mariah used a knife to smear a pad of butter on the top of the highest pancake, watching it melt and pool into each crevice. As she poured on a healthy serving of real maple syrup from a glass jug, she was a bit

Starting point is 00:14:51 surprised at how light and clear the amber liquid was. Mariah savored the delicious smell for a moment before she cut out a tall wedge with her fork and brought the bite to her lips. The richness of the butter and sweetness of the maple syrup complemented the doughy texture of the pancakes in just the right way. Mariah was tempted to quickly gobble up each tasty morsel, but she reminded herself to slow down and enjoy the treat. She smiled as she chewed, wondering if the taste or the smell was the best part. When Geraldine asked whether she liked her breakfast, Mariah nodded heartily, her mouth

Starting point is 00:15:58 too full to speak. Geraldine explained that the syrup was from nearby maple trees that locals tap each February or March in a tradition dating back hundreds of years. At the end of the long winter, when the daytime temperatures finally rise above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and fall below freezing at night, that's when the sap begins to flow. Locals look for the best maple trees to tap, usually adult sugar, black, red, or silver maples, which produce sap with a higher sugar content. Then, they drill a sap hole in the bark, insert a metal nozzle known as a spile, and a fix a bucket underneath to capture the sweet liquid. The syrup Mariah was eating was from a batch captured early in the season this year, when

Starting point is 00:17:14 the trees are known to in such different ways. Just as they provided a feast for her breakfast, they would soon offer a feast for her eyes. Later that morning, her stomach pleasantly full, Mariah laced up her hiking boots on a mossy rock at the trailhead where her hike would soon begin. The gropes of sunlight streamed through the breaks in the tree canopy. Hidden specks of dust revealed themselves in the light beams, floating leisurely through them before disappearing again in the shadow. They'd lint the trail of magical quality. Mariah smiled as the phrase pixie dust came to her mind and then drifted away just as gently.

Starting point is 00:18:32 Mariah was headed to a waterfall. She wasn't sure what she would enjoy more, a tumbling water or the hike to get there. The reviews had said it was a short and beautiful hike that culminated in a spectacular view of the beautiful falls. A deep green moss covered nearly everything around her. Its earthy smell filling the air. It was the perfect canvas for the stunning colors of the leaves, many of which had already fallen to settle on the ground. Mariah set out on the trail alongside a rushing creek following the water upstream.

Starting point is 00:19:30 She was grateful for the thick socks that kept her toes warm inside her boots and for the moss that cushioned her feet with every step. feet with every step. She kept a slow pace, wanting plenty of time to examine the complexities of colors in each tree she passed. Before her trip, Mariah had read up on the chemical processes that lead each fall to the leaves turning. In the spring and summer, a chemical called chlorophyll works over time inside the leaves cells to create a kind of magical alchemy. It absorbs sunlight, gleaming the energy it needs to transform water and carbon dioxide into sugar and starch. Though invisible to our eye, chlorophyll makes its presence known by giving the leaves their green color. When the temperature's drop, the chlorophyll starts to break down, effectively closing up the tree's kitchen for the season.

Starting point is 00:20:55 The green mask fades away, revealing the brilliant orange and yellow hues beneath. As Mariah passed a birch tree with delicate white bark, she was odd that its lemon yellow leaves were only a few weeks ago shrouded by green. She wasn't sure why the trees hid their leaves brilliant tones most of the year, but she was grateful to share the season of their most authentic self-expression. Mariah noticed a tiny hole in the maple about three feet high, likely where someone had tapped it earlier this year. When Mariah passed a sugar maple, she recalled that its burgundy leaves were the result of another chemical process that developed red pigments. Meanwhile, the yellow and orange use that dotted the forest were caused by other pigments

Starting point is 00:22:11 that reveal themselves only as the chlorophyll dissipates. When a leaf is ready to fall, a layer of cells grows at its base and slowly dissolves the tissues that hold the leaf to its branch. The tree, in turn, seals off the fracture. Eventually, the leaf falls from its own weight or is blown off by the wind. As a gentle breeze kicked up, Mariah was showered by a colorful batch of newly detached leaves. She was reminded that they leave behind their own calling card.

Starting point is 00:23:05 A leaf scar on the tree's surface. She was comforted by the thought that each leaf had something tangible to mark its brief but beautiful life. Each year, weather conditions impact how the colors show up. This fall had been chilly, but the temperatures had dipped below freezing only a few times. The cold, but not too cold air, accounted for the deluge of reds. There had been no early frost to dampen their brilliance, and a few weeks of gentle rain had done wonders to heighten the colors intensity.

Starting point is 00:23:59 What's more, Mariah had chosen the perfect day for her leaf-peeping adventure. The sky was clear and blue, and the temperature was cool, but well above freezing. In fact, she felt a little warm as the hike increased her heart rate. She took off her light jacket and tied it around her waist and the crisp air quickly gulped her. As Mariah inhaled and exhaled, and exhales, a bit faster than normal. The earthy smell of the trail mixed with the scent of a distant bonfire. In the distance, Mariah could hear a rushing sound. At first, she thought it was the breeze rustling the top layers of the tree canopy. But now, she thought it might be the sound of the waterfall.

Starting point is 00:25:17 Could she be approaching it? She wondered. Mariah picked up her pay slightly. When she reached a portion of the trail that climbed deeply upward, she knew she was close. By now, the sound had increased to a gentle roar. She couldn't see the falling water, but she could feel its energy. It gave the air an electric quality. Mariah was reminded of the moment just before she took her first bite of her morning pancakes. before she took her first bite of her morning pancakes. She paused, welcoming the pleasant sense of anticipation that tickled her stomach.

Starting point is 00:26:17 Then, Mariah scrambled up to the top of the incline, using rocks and roots to balance herself. The rushing sound was so present now that she felt as if she were tasting it as well as hearing it. Tiny droplets of moisture filled the air. She could taste them on her tongue. As she reached the height of the overlook, Mariah finally saw it, the waterfall. A brilliant ray of sunshine touched the top of the falls, where the water turned white and frothy, before it tumbled over a steep rock face. The waters split out into three wide pathways, and countless other tiny ones, before plunging

Starting point is 00:27:24 into a pristine pool below. A glistening cloud of mist rose from where the falling water met its ultimate destination. Further out, the water regained its stillness, Further out, the water regained its stillness, lapping gently at a rocky shore. Mariah was surprised that the water that had moments before displayed such power settled so quickly back into a place of calm. settled so quickly back into a place of calm. The moss that covered the waterfall's rock face was slick and almost black,

Starting point is 00:28:14 transformed by the water rushing over it. But on the rocks near where she stood, the moss was soft and dry, still a brilliant green. It was the perfect place to enjoy the view. Mariah sat down inside in contentment. The muscles in her legs relaxed, as if thanking her for the rest after the hike. From the overlook, Mariah was higher in the tree canopy than she was on the trail. The leaves seemed to impeller her, welcoming her to share their perspective. The brightness of the leaves, the softness of the moss, and the rushing of the water and the rushing of the water together lulled her into a trance. She felt a sense of peace settle into her chest and wondered if it was yet another gift

Starting point is 00:29:40 from the trees. Just as their leaves revealed their true colors on this lovely fall day, Mariah too felt like her true self. She had no reason to hide because the trees accepted her just as she was. Like the water after the falls, she felt her body settle into stillness. Moriah smiled. She was exactly where she wanted to be. ... ... ... ... you you you you ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

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Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Autumn Leaves in Vermont

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