Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Tree of Answers (Encore)

Episode Date: September 25, 2026

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Shamica Latchman ✍️  Sound effects: forest ambience 🌲🐦  Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we have the enchanting story of a boy named Charlie, whose search for the answers to life’s mysteries brings him to a magic tree. 😴 Get Sleepy Premium Listen completely ad-free and access our entire catalogue of stories and meditations by subscribing to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠premium feed.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Your support means the world to us and makes it possible to keep the show running! ❤️ Get your 7-day free trial: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠getsleepy.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect Stay up to date on all our news and even vote on upcoming episodes! Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com/getsleepy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/getsleepypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/getsleepypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our Apps Redeem exclusive unlimited access to Premium content for 1 month FREE in our mobile apps built by the Get Sleepy and Slumber Studios team: Deep Sleep Sounds: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deepsleepsounds.com/getsleepy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slumber: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumber.fm/getsleepy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FAQs Have a query for us or need help with something? You might find your answer here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Sleepy FAQs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Get Sleepy Get Sleepy is the #1 storytelling podcast designed to help you get a great night’s rest. By combining sleep meditations with a relaxing bedtime story, each episode will guide you gently towards sleep. Thank you so much for listening! Feedback? Let us know your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com/contact-us/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. Check out our podcasts, apps, and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. That’s all for now. Sweet dreams ❤️ 😴 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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As a listener of Get Sleepy, you can unlock all of the content in the app free for one month. Just go to Slumber.fm slash Get Sleepy. That's slumber.fm slash get sleepy for instant access to all of the content in slumber, free for one month. Welcome to get sleepy. Where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas. Thanks so much for being here. Tonight's episode was first released five years ago, almost to the exact day.

It's the enchanting story of a boy named Charlie, who search for the answers to life's mysteries, brings him to a magic tree. It was beautifully written by Shamika and narrated by me. So, ensure you're nice and comfy in your beautiful. bed, make any adjustments you need, or perhaps enjoy a nice big stretch to help release any lingering tension in your muscles and limbs. And all you need to do is listen along, as our story guides you deep into rest. So, let's turn our attention to turn our attention to Charlie, a restless boy who finds more than he expects to when he ventures out into the forest one day.

This is where our story begins. There once was a boy named Charlie, who'd come to a crossroads in his young life. He was at that age where curiosity and imagination rains. supreme. He understood there was so much out there in the world, so much more to explore beyond the walls of his school and home, and more than anything, he wanted to find his place in it all. But day in and day out, he found himself unsure of what direction he should follow. Every night he looked up at the big, bright moon and hoped to find a clue among the stars. When he played outside, he searched for hidden messages written in the sand,

and when he walked through his neighbourhood, he listened for secrets, carried to him on the wind. But Charlie found no clues. nothing that could tell him what his future might hold. Then, one day, he heard a very interesting tale of a tree that stood in the woods and had lived for thousands of years. According to legend, the tree could tell you the answers to life's mysteries. So, one morning, Charlie went in search of that tree.

For hours and hours, he marched through the woods, determined to find it. He navigated winding paths and walked up and down many hills, before finally coming to a clearing, and there he saw it. beams of sunlight shone down on a tree that stood in all its glory, far larger and mightier than the others that surrounded it. It was perched all alone on a mound of dirt and grass. Its gnarled roots stretched out before it, tendrils rising above the ground like hills, To Charlie, the other trees around it looked like loyal subjects circling their king of the forest. The tree was beautiful. Charlie paused to take in its magnificence.

It towered above him, with long, sinewy boughs, stretching out as though they were reaching for the heavens. With every breath of wind, the branches seemed to wave at the sky, and the clouds they had surely befriended. Hesitating for just a moment, Charlie walked towards it with his arms outstretched. He ran his fingers over the bark, noticing all the cracks upon its surface. reminders of just how long the tree had stood there. Charlie let out a long sigh. Before he knew what was happening, the ground began to shake.

He felt the vibration beneath his feet. And he clutched onto one of the branches. Sure, there was an earthquake, but there wasn't. It was just the same. sound of the tree, waking up, I would appreciate if you didn't cling on to me quite so tightly, the tree said, in a friendly voice that was deep and smooth. The sound reminded Charlie of the first time he tasted, melted chocolate, startled, he hopped backwards and stared at the eyes that now looked back at him. The cracks and patterns within the bark had transformed into an old and wise

face. You've awoken me, said the tree. I expect you seek the answers to life's mysteries, unsure of what to say. Charlie merely nodded. The tree looked at him with kind eyes. Life gives you answers every day, the tree said. All you need to do is watch and listen, and you will find your own path. Now close your eyes. Charlie did what the tree asked. He closed his eyes and waited for something to happen. But nothing changed at all. He didn't feel himself grow wiser or have any idea what the future would hold. Perhaps it hadn't worked. After a while, Charlie felt his eyes opening once again.

The tree looked just as it had before it had spoken to him, except for the lightest dusting of snow upon its cracked and patterned bark. Confused, Charlie decided the best course of action would be to walk back home. When he reached the park near his house, he sat down to rest on a bench at the edge of the field. He looked out at the world before him. The park was quiet, as it often was in winter. No one was playing on the swing or the slides. and not a single person walked past him.

Everyone was likely to be at home, tucked away from the cold by their cosy fireplaces. But Charlie was warm in his coat, so he sat a while longer, with his hands tucked inside the fleecy pockets. The sun had begun to set. In winter, sunsets weren't normally that noticeable, hidden away behind thick, grey clouds. But today, he saw that the sky had turned pink.

It reminded him of watermelons and strawberries, and made him realise he couldn't wait for summer to come. It was beautiful, he thought. The clouds looked like candy floss, lit up by the sun. Large birds soared high above, as though they were chasing the fading light. They called to each other and the sound cut through the silence of the park. Charlie thought they were magnificent when the sun finally set and the moon took its place. The last clouds drifted out of the sky. The moon hung high like a shining disco ball,

and the stars danced around it, millions and billions of them. Charlie looked on in delight and felt as though he were gazing into the heart of the universe itself. He realized he'd never taken the time to really watch the stars before and was grateful for this moment with them. The later it got, the more creatures came out to say hello too. A small fox with a bushy red tail darted across the field. Its ears perked high and its eyes glowing in the darkness. But Charlie wasn't scared. He knew the fox was friendly. Just then, an owl hooted from its hidden spot in a tree and took flight. Charlie wondered if it was a mother or a father, like the owls in the

stories his parents used to read to him when he was much smaller. He wondered if they had a nest tucked away in their tree. This made Charlie think of home and his own parents. So, off he went. He walked over the crunchy leaves that had fallen from the trees, leaving behind barren branches. He relished the satisfying sound that filled his ears when he stepped on them. Charlie turned it into a game. He hopped from one crunchy leaf to the next, all the way home. The next day, when Charlie woke up, the first thing he did was walk out of his house. He planned to return to the magic tree and see if this day he could find the answers he was looking for. Once again, his path led him past the park.

He had expected another cold winter day, so he brought his hat, scarf and gloves. But on this particular morning, the sun was out, high up in the clear blue sky. The sunbeams were so bright, Charlie felt as though they were shining happiness on all the world around him. The birds were singing their morning song for everyone to hear. They tweeted and chittered among themselves. Charlie watched on in awe as they flew by, clutching tiny twigs in their delicate beaks. Perhaps they were taking them to build their nests, Charlie thought.

But didn't that usually happen in so? spring, then he noticed that the trees too had suddenly sprouted leaves. They swayed and danced in the gentle breeze. Charlie approached them, his eyes wide with wonder and amazement, perfectly round drops of dew hung off of each and every leaf. They glittered and shimmered in the sunlight. How beautiful, simple and pure, the world seemed to him at this moment. It was as though it had been reborn overnight and was now full of possibility.

Creatures that had hidden from the cold now bounded happily from tree to tree. They chittered to each other and almost seemed to greet the sun as they would an old friend. Charlie grinned, watching the world come alive. Even the air felt new. He inhaled deeply and it felt as though the sun was pouring its brilliant beams into him. It was fresh and exhilarating. He wanted to run, to jump, to feel the fullness of life within him. With a swift motion, he took off his hat, untied his scarf and tossed his gloves down onto the bench.

It was liberating. He felt free of winter, of early evenings and heavy jackets. Unlike the night before, when he'd been all alone at the park. Now the sounds of happy people filled the air. Parents laughed with their children, who giggled as they played on the swings and slide. Their bright smiles and carefree laughter were infectious. Charlie could feel a similar sense of joy, well up within him. He sat down on the park bench and closed his eyes, welcoming the warmth of the sun's rays

upon his skin. Opening his eyes, he saw that the grass, which only the night before had been brown like straw, was now a vibrant green. It looked as though someone had taken a paintbrush, and covered the park with brighter hues. How beautiful the world appeared to him in this moment. For hours, Charlie sat and watched the people around him, enjoying this wonderful spring day. He listened to the chirping of the birds and watched the little rabbits poke their heads out of their burrows for a moment to say hello.

only to disappear again, shaking their bushy tails behind them. Charlie was the last person to leave the park that day. Before he did, he watched the sunset, which wasn't much different from the one he'd seen the night before. As the sun slowly descended, the sky turned the lightest shade of pink. It lasted for only a few minutes, but Charlie appreciated it nonetheless. He was filled with the peace and serenity of the moment. Once the sky turned a darker shade of blue, and night began to fall.

Charlie prepared to head home. This time, as he walked, a light wind rustled the new leaves. on the branches. There were no crunchy leaves left on the ground. The next day, Charlie prepared himself for a spring day once more. His mother insisted that he wear a light jacket in case it rained, so he brought one along. As soon as he opened his door, however, a current of warm air welcomed him. He stepped out into his front garden and found that spring was gone. In its place was a hot summer day. It seemed to Charlie that the sum was three times the size it had been yesterday, as if someone

had thrown a lassoo around it, bringing it closer to earth. He opened his arms as wide as he could. and breathed in the smell of summer. To him, it was the scent of yellow pollen and freshly cut grass. And the aroma of his favourite lemonade that his mother made in the kitchen every year. Big yellow bees flitted between the many flowers that were now in full bloom. The colours of the garden dance before his eyes. Soon, butterflies join the bees, and Charlie watched them flap their delicate wings

as they fluttered through the air. On this day, Charlie took his time walking to the park. He listened to the sounds of the other neighbourhood children, squealing with delight as they rode their bikes past him. With every step, he felt as though he were floating on air. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves on the trees that towered above him, and Charlie noticed how magnificent they appeared. Each thick branch was covered with luscious, bright green foliage.

The light wind brought with it the heavy smell of citrus and earth. Little flowers had sprouted up everywhere, too. Buttercups, daisies, lavender. Their wonderful scents filled the air and made each breath intoxicating. Finally, Charlie arrived at the little bench that he now liked to think of as his bench. In the nearby field, picnic blankets occupied every space available. A large ice cream truck sat at the end of the park, with a longer queue than he'd ever seen before. If there was one thing everyone seemed to have in common, it was that they were thrilled to be outside, enjoying the delights of summer.

When Charlie sat down, a ladybird drifted over to him and rested on his shoulder, just like the flowers, the sun, and the butterflies. This ladybird was vibrant. Its little red body was easy to spot against his plain white t-shirt. He reached out a finger and allowed the insect to. to crawl into his palm, Charlie held it up close to his face and counted each black spot on its wings. There were four on either side, making eight perfect tiny dots. Charlie smiled to himself. When the ladybird finally took flight, he watched it spread its wings and flutter off to new adventure. That night, for the first time since he'd visited the magic tree. Charlie wasn't the last person in the park.

Well after sunset, the field and playground hummed with activity. People stayed up late talking to friends under the blanket of a night sky as they watched the stars come out. Charlie stayed with them for a while, curled up on his bench. Although he sat alone, he felt as though he were part of the larger community. Before he headed home, Charlie counted three shooting stars, and on them he made three wishes, one for him, one for his mother, and one for his father. As he walked home, he listened to the peaceful chirping of the crickets.

He liked to think they were wishing him a good night. So he whispered, sleep tight, as he passed by. Above him, the sky had come alive with thousands of stars. By the next morning, Charlie had a hunch. as to what the weather would be like that day, if it followed the same pattern as all the other days since he visited the magic tree. It would be autumn,

so he wore a scarf and a jacket and prepared himself for a brisk day, stepping outside, it was as though the world had calmed overnight. The atmosphere of his neighbour, wasn't quite as vibrant and energetic as summer. But it was still lively enough. Charlie couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it felt magical.

Some of the flowers in his front garden had started to droop. Others, however, continued to bloom. Charlie greeted them one by one, along with a lone butterfly. that fluttered past. As Charlie walked towards the park, he noticed that some of the leaves had begun to fall off the trees, and most of them had changed colour. They were still just as beautiful as they had been yesterday, though.

If not more so, each and every one now ranged from a bright red to a soft purple, or a burnt orange. The trees looked like rainbows, decorated with so many different hues. The air smelled different too. No longer was it moist and citrusy. Instead, it was almost like a fine caramel and Charlie thought he could practically taste the burnt sugar on his tongue, he sat down on his bench to better take in the scenery of the new season. Charlie wasn't sure if it was the plants around him or the paper coffee cups people carried in their hands that brought a hint of cinnamon too. Either way, the aroma warmed him from the inside out.

The sun, although slightly more distant today, still shone in the midday sky. People milled about the park, but much like spring, there were fewer of them. Instead of spreading out on picnic blankets, they pulled their jackets closer around them, walked arm in arm through the park. Still though, there was a beautiful smile on each and every face. For the first time, Charlie realized he was completely at peace. He was so happy to be right here, right now, in this particular time and place. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he reopened them, he was somewhere completely different.

It was no longer autumn, and he wasn't sitting on his bench in the park. Instead, he found himself back in front of the magic tree. His arms outstretched toward the cracked and patterned bark. once again it was winter and it seemed as though no time had passed at all he considered trying to wake the tree and ask it what happened while his eyes had been closed how he managed to walk through every season without a single second passing by but then he thought better of it and decided it was time to finally head home. As he walked, his feet crunched the leaves that had fallen from the trees around him.

He didn't have the answers he'd been searching for, but Charlie was content. He now understood that seasons pass and things change. And the beauty of life was not in knowing precisely where he'd end up, in all that he'd experience along the way.