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The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Cop and the Anthem, O. Henry's wry, warm-hearted story of a homeless New Yorker's winter scheme, first published in his 1906 collection The Four Million — long in the public domain, with Porter (1862–1910) having died more than a century ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, Soapy tries every trick he knows to get himself arrested and land a warm winter berth on the prison island — from a slap-up dinner he can't pay for to a stolen umbrella — only to find the law has other plans, right up until a church anthem changes his mind entirely. A gentle, unhurried classic with O. Henry's trademark twist, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

When Was the Last Time You Felt Happy? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Feeling Flat, Numb or Emotionally Stuck Somebody asked how you were, and you said fine, and you meant it — nothing is wrong. But later, standing at the sink, a harder question arrives on its own: when was the last time you felt properly happy? Not fine, not coping, not relieved something was over. Really happy. If you went looking for the answer and couldn't find it, this guided meditation is for that feeling of being flat, numb or quietly stuck, even when nothing in your life seems to justify it. For a place to return to, including a simple daily check-in, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode uses the physiological sigh (a double inhale followed by one long exhale) to work with the body directly, then moves into affirmation work that reframes feeling flat as information rather than a verdict — and gives you permission to want more than simply feeling fine. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – "Nothing Is Wrong"* 01:02 – Welcome & the Daily Check-In* 01:38 – Breathing: The Physiological Sigh* 03:51 – A Quiet Word* 04:22 – What You're Allowed to Feel* 05:22 – Affirmations for Feeling Flat* 08:05 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:00 – Coming Back Gently* 09:38 – A Note From Martin 

Why Does My Mouth Go Dry Before I Have to Speak? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Speech Anxiety and Anticipatory Nerves It happens about 30 seconds before you have to speak. There's nothing there. You try to swallow and the swallow doesn't work either — and now you're not thinking about what you're going to say, you're thinking about whether the first word will come out as a word at all. If your mouth goes dry every time you're nervous, right at the moment you need it most, this guided meditation is your ten minutes. For a place to return to at the moment you actually need it — the ninety seconds before you walk in, not the night before — download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode uses a slow diaphragmatic (belly) breath — in through the nose for four, out through the nose for six — then works with the fear behind a dry mouth before speaking, reframing it as the body preparing you rather than betraying you. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – The 30 Seconds Before You Speak* 00:49 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:34 – Breathing (Diaphragmatic, In 4 / Out 6)* 04:53 – A Quick, Kind Note* 05:10 – Affirmations for a Dry Mouth* 08:13 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:04 – Coming Back Gently* 09:42 – A Note From Martin 

A Service of Love by O. Henry — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is A Service of Love, O. Henry's warm, witty short story about two young newlywed artists in New York who each secretly give up their art to support the other — first published in his 1906 collection The Four Million, long in the public domain, with Porter (1862–1910) having died more than a century ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, painter Joe and pianist Delia marry for love of each other and their art, and when the money runs short, each quietly takes up hidden work to protect the other's ambitions — a gentle, old-fashioned tale of devotion with O. Henry's signature twist, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

The Tale of Two Bad Mice by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Tale of Two Bad Mice, Beatrix Potter's mischievous story of a doll's house raided by two curious mice, first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1904 — long in the public domain, with Potter (1866–1943) having died more than seventy years ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, mice Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca sneak into a beautiful doll's house while its owners are out, only to discover the tempting dinner laid out on the table is nothing but painted plaster. A gentle, unhurried classic, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

Why Can't I Stop Preparing for Tomorrow? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Anticipatory Anxiety and Overthinking the Future Nothing has happened yet. Not the phone call, not the appointment, not the conversation next week — and somehow your mind has already been there, imagining what might go wrong, trying to solve a problem that doesn't even exist. This guided meditation is for that constant sense that you need to prepare for whatever might happen, before it's even arrived. For the next ten minutes, you don't have to live tomorrow today — you can simply be here. For a place to return to whenever tomorrow starts crowding into today, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist Martin Hewlett, this episode uses a gentle four-in, two-hold, six-out breath to settle the body, then works directly with the habit of rehearsing tomorrow's problems today — moving from trying to know what will happen before it happens, toward trusting yourself to meet life one moment at a time. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Already There, Before It's Happened* 00:54 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:24 – Breathing (In 4, Hold 2, Out 6)* 04:01 – Letting Tomorrow Stay Over There* 05:08 – Affirmations for an Uncertain Future* 07:39 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:15 – Coming Back Gently* 09:37 – A Note From Martin 

Why Do I Suddenly Feel So Hot When I'm Anxious? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Anxiety Sweating, Flushing and Feeling Hot It starts in your chest or the back of your neck — that first prickle, then the hot spreading feeling, and the small horrified thought: please, not now, not here. Nobody else in the room is warm. Nobody else is fanning themselves. Just you. If you've ever wondered why do I suddenly feel so hot when I'm anxious, this guided meditation explains what's actually happening in your body, and works directly with the fear of being seen, not just the heat itself. For a place to return to whenever this happens, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app, where this episode's cooling breath lives as its own standalone session you can save and use any time.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode draws on years spent on ambulances to explain the flush and heat anxiety can bring, then works through a simple cooling breath (in through the mouth for four, out through the nose for six) before moving into affirmation work that reframes the heat as a passing reaction rather than something going wrong. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – The Heat Nobody Else Feels* 00:49 – Naming It* 01:00 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:45 – Why Anxiety Makes You Hot* 03:07 – The Cooling Breath* 05:06 – The Part That Actually Hurts* 05:57 – Affirmations for the Heat* 07:25 – A Story From the Ambulance Days* 08:08 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:01 – Coming Back 

The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, Beatrix Potter's sleepy sequel following Benjamin Bunny and his cousin Flopsy's large rabbit family, first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1909 — long in the public domain, with Potter (1866–1943) having died more than seventy years ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, the Flopsy Bunnies eat their way through a heap of overgrown lettuces and fall into a deep, soporific sleep in Mr McGregor's rubbish patch — with a little wood-mouse named Mrs Tittlemouse on hand to help when McGregor scoops them all up in a sack. A gentle, unhurried classic, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, Beatrix Potter's charming story of a fastidiously tidy little wood-mouse, first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1910 — long in the public domain, with Potter (1866–1943) having died more than seventy years ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, house-proud Mrs. Tittlemouse spends her days sweeping and dusting her sandy little home under the hedge — only for a parade of uninvited guests, including a distinctly unwelcome Mr. Jackson the toad, to track muddy footprints through her nice clean rooms. A gentle, unhurried classic, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

My Legs Feel Like Jelly — A 10-Minute Meditation for Anxious, Weak or Unsteady Legs You stand up and suddenly your legs don't quite feel like your legs — soft around the knees, a little hollow, and that thought arrives: what if they give way? If you've ever thought "my legs feel like jelly" or "my legs feel weak when I'm anxious," this guided meditation is for you. It gently explains why anxiety can make your legs feel strange or unsteady, and works with the sensation directly, rather than trying to check it away. For a place to return to whenever this happens without a signal, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app, with fully offline, downloadable sessions.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by Martin Hewlett, this episode uses 4-7-8 breathing (in for four, hold, out for eight) alongside a simple tense-and-release technique for the legs, before moving into affirmation work that reframes the sensation as a feeling rather than a forecast — no need to keep checking, testing, or proving your legs are okay. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – When Your Legs Don't Feel Like Yours* 00:50 – Welcome* 01:02 – Why Anxiety Affects Your Legs* 02:05 – Breathing (4-7-8)* 04:28 – Noticing Without Checking* 06:25 – Affirmations: Sensation, Not Forecast* 08:30 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:06 – Coming Back* 09:52 – A Note From Martin 

I'm Tired of Being the Strong One — A 10-Minute Meditation for Emotional Exhaustion, Burnout and Always Saying "I'm Fine" Someone asks how you are, and "fine" comes out before the question's even finished. You're managing. Things are getting done. Nobody's worried about you. But underneath all that managing there's a tiredness you haven't mentioned to anyone — not sleepy-tired, something further down than that. This guided meditation sits with exactly that feeling: the emotional exhaustion of always being the strong one, and the quiet relief of putting it down, just for ten minutes. For a place to return to whenever this feeling catches up with you, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's companion app.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode uses a slow 4-2-6 breath (in for four, hold for two, out for six) and a body-awareness technique — noticing everything the chair, floor or bed is quietly holding for you — before moving into affirmation work that gives you permission to be tired, worn out, and not okay for a little while. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – The Weight You Don't Mention* 00:57 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:55 – Breathing (In for 4, Hold for 2, Out for 6)* 04:34 – Feeling What's Holding You Up* 05:21 – Affirmations: Putting the Strong Face Down* 08:02 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:57 – Coming Back Gently* 09:48 – A Note From Martin 

The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, Beatrix Potter's much-loved sequel to Peter Rabbit, first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in September 1904 — long in the public domain, with Potter (1866–1943) having died more than seventy years ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night. Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, young Benjamin Bunny slips back into Mr McGregor's garden with his cousin Peter to rescue Peter's lost clothes from the scarecrow — and the pair find themselves waiting, hidden and hopeful, for the danger to pass. A gentle, unhurried classic, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

Why Do I Feel Like Everyone Is Judging Me? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Social Anxiety, Self-Consciousness and Fear of Judgement Why do I feel like everyone is judging me? If social anxiety or feeling self-conscious keeps you replaying that question — scanning faces, scanning tone, convinced a room full of people is thinking about you when they're probably not — this guided meditation works with it directly, using a simple diaphragmatic breath and psychology's "spotlight effect" to gently separate what's actually happening from what your anxious mind assumes everyone's thinking. For a quiet place to return to whenever this feeling catches you out, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's free companion app. Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode moves you from feeling watched and assessed toward trusting that you can be seen without needing everyone's approval — grounding the body first, then working gently with the thought itself. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – The Question That Won't Let Go* 00:36 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:12 – Naming Social Anxiety and Self-Consciousness* 01:34 – Diaphragmatic Breathing* 03:02 – Working With Being Watched* 04:25 – Affirmations for Self-Trust* 07:36 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:44 – Closing and Coming Back* 09:51 – A Note From Martin 

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, one of Beatrix Potter's best-loved animal stories, first published by Frederick Warne & Co. in 1908 — now firmly in the public domain, with Potter (1866–1943) having died more than seventy years ago. For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.Get it on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. In this soothing bedtime audiobook, a foolish but endearing duck named Jemima Puddle-Duck sets off across the farmyard in search of a quiet place to hatch her eggs undisturbed — and meets a charming, sandy-whiskered gentleman who isn't quite what he seems. A gentle, unhurried classic, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety, and drifting off to sleep. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings. And in everything, my friend, be kind.  Support the Show: Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

What If I Got It Wrong? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Self-Doubt, Anxiety and Overthinking Self-doubt has a habit of showing up right after we've already chosen — not before. In this guided meditation for self-doubt, anxiety and overthinking, Martin Hewlett works directly with the second-guessing that follows a decision: replaying a message, a conversation, or a choice, and quietly asking "what if I made the wrong decision?" or "why can't I trust myself?" For more calming meditations whenever this feeling catches you, download Anchored, Calming Anxiety's free companion app, for offline-ready sessions any time you need them.Get it on the App Store athttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 or on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored. This episode draws on post-event rumination and intolerance of uncertainty — the anxious habit of replaying a decision looking for proof it was right — and moves the listener from "what if I got it wrong?" toward "I don't need certainty to move forward." Guided by a cyclic sighing breath (two breaths in through the nose, one long exhale out) to calm the nervous system before the affirmation work begins. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – The Question That Won't Let Go* 00:48 – Welcome & Anchored* 01:21 – Naming Self-Doubt and Decision Anxiety* 02:56 – Breathing Together* 03:52 – Working With the Thought* 05:37 – Affirmations for Self-Trust* 08:26 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:19 – Closing & Coming Back* 10:17 – Try Anchored Premium 

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A gentle bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Beatrix Potter's cosy, homely tale The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, read slowly and unhurried for sleep and insomnia relief. This continues the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless nights.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows little Lucy, who loses her pocket handkerchiefs and climbs a hillside searching for them, all the way to a tiny door and a warm, low-ceilinged kitchen — the home of a small, round washerwoman called Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, who irons and mends laundry for all the neighbouring animals. Unhurried, domestic, and thoroughly soothing, with tea by the fire and freshly laundered bundles for every creature in the valley, it's an easy, gentle listen for falling asleep, insomnia, or quieting an anxious mind before bed. Listeners of last week's Squirrel Nutkin will spot a familiar face among the washing — Nutkin's own little red tailcoat, minus its tail, turns up in Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle's basket. First published in October 1905, Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle is in the public domain worldwide (Potter died in 1943); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. Potter dedicated the book to a real little girl, Lucie Carr, and based Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle herself on her own pet hedgehog of that name and on a Scottish washerwoman, Kitty MacDonald, who worked for her family each summer. This episode continues Beatrix Potter's place in the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Kate Chopin, and longer serialised reads including Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A gentle bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Beatrix Potter's charming woodland tale The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, read slowly and unhurried for sleep and insomnia relief. This is a new author joining the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless nights.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows a cheeky little red squirrel called Nutkin, his brother Twinkleberry, and their cousins as they sail on twig rafts to Owl Island each day, bringing offerings of mice, minnows, and honey to old Mr. Brown, the owl who owns the nut bushes. While the other squirrels ask politely, Nutkin can never resist a rude riddle instead — and by the sixth day, his impertinence very nearly costs him more than his manners. A whimsical, sing-song read full of old English riddles, ideal for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in August 1903, Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin is in the public domain worldwide (Potter died in 1943); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. Potter originally wrote the story as a picture letter for a real little girl named Norah Moore, and dedicated the finished book to her — "a story for Norah." This episode introduces Beatrix Potter to the Books at Bedtime strand, joining Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Kate Chopin, and longer serialised reads including Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

I'm Tired But Wired — A 10-Minute Meditation for a Body That Won't Switch Off | The Switch Off Breath That feeling where you're so tired — not ordinary tired, the kind where your eyes ache and your thoughts have gone slow and thin — and yet you sit down, and your body hasn't got the message. Jaw still set, shoulders still up near your ears, a restlessness in your legs while the rest of you is running on empty.If you've been quietly asking yourself why you're so tired but your body won't switch off, this episode is for you. Anchored is now on Android as well as iPhone, and if you can't face listening to a voice tonight, not even this one, the app's visual breathing tools work without any narration at all:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode puts the paramedic hat on to explain bracing — the body's habit, after weeks or months of pressure, of staying slightly above idle all day, muscles tight and breathing shallow, whether or not you've actually sat down. We use vagus nerve breathing, four in and eight out, which Martin calls the switch off breath, followed by a warm amber light body scan to help release what the day left behind. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: tired, but your body hasn't got the message* 00:52 – Channel open: Anchored on Android & the breathing tools* 01:31 – The paramedic's view: why the body keeps bracing* 02:28 – Breathing: the switch off breath (4 in, 8 out)* 04:38 – Deepening: a warm amber light* 06:38 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 08:17 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:30 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 10:04 – Outro & be kind 

The Butterfly That Stamped by Rudyard Kipling — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Rudyard Kipling's warm, funny Just So Story The Butterfly That Stamped, read slowly and gently for sleep and insomnia relief. Kipling wrote the Just So Stories specifically as bedtime tales, to be told "just so," word for word, until his own daughter drifted off to sleep — which makes this collection some of the most naturally calming listening in the whole Books at Bedtime strand, also known as Coffee Break for the Soul, from the Calming Anxiety podcast.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows the wise King Solomon, his 999 quarrelsome queens, his beloved and clever Queen Balkis, and one very small, very boastful butterfly who claims he can make the whole palace vanish with a single stamp of his foot. Gentle, playful, and quietly wise about marriage and pride, it's an easy, unhurried listen for falling asleep, insomnia, or quieting an anxious mind at the end of the day. First published in 1902 in the collection Just So Stories for Little Children, Rudyard Kipling's The Butterfly That Stamped is in the public domain worldwide (Kipling died in 1936); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode joins the Just So Stories already in the Books at Bedtime strand — How the Whale Got His Throat, The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo, The Elephant's Child, How the Leopard Got His Spots, How the Camel Got His Hump, The Cat That Walked by Himself, and The Beginning of the Armadillos — alongside Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Kate Chopin, and longer serialised reads including Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Why Do I Feel Anxious When I Finally Stop? — A 10-Minute Meditation for the Post-Stress Crash | Alternate Nostril Breathing You got through it — the week, the deadline, the thing you were dreading. You held it together the entire way, and nobody watching would have guessed how much it cost you. And then you sat down, and it all arrived: the dread with no subject, the heart going for no reason. If you've ever wondered why everyone else looks forward to stopping while stopping makes you feel worse, nothing is wrong with you.In Anchored, you choose your own session length — 3, 5, or 20 minutes, whatever you can tolerate — because being told to sit quietly for half an hour when stillness is the thing that sets you off isn't kindness, it's a dare. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode explains why anxiety needs a gap to appear in — while you're busy, your nervous system runs on adrenaline and purpose, and it simply doesn't register as anxious. It's only once the last thing is done, and there's suddenly nothing between you and yourself, that everything you've been outrunning all week catches up in one go. We use alternate nostril breathing to give the thinking part of the brain a small, harmless job while the nervous system quietly slows down. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: you got through it, and then it all arrived* 00:51 – Channel open & choosing your own session length in Anchored* 01:48 – Why anxiety needs a gap to appear in* 02:32 – Breathing: alternate nostril breathing* 05:16 – Grounding: you gave it somewhere gentle to stand* 05:32 – Deepening: a warm golden light* 05:56 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 07:11 – I am safe, I am here* 08:14 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:04 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:37 – Outro: this is not weakness, it's a homecoming 

The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo by Rudyard Kipling — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Rudyard Kipling's rhythmic, chant-like Just So Story The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo, read slowly and gently for sleep and insomnia relief. Kipling wrote the Just So Stories specifically as bedtime tales, to be told "just so," word for word, until his own daughter drifted off to sleep — which makes this one of the most naturally hypnotic stories in the whole Books at Bedtime strand, also known as Coffee Break for the Soul, from the Calming Anxiety podcast.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows an ordinary, four-legged grey kangaroo whose wish to be "wonderfully run after" is granted by the little god Nikaar, in the form of Yellow Dog Dingo chasing him right across the middle of Australia until his legs and hop become the kangaroo's forever. Repetitive, sing-song, and almost lulling by design, it's an easy, unhurried listen for falling asleep, insomnia, or quieting an anxious mind at the end of the day. First published in 1902 in the collection Just So Stories for Little Children, Rudyard Kipling's The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo is in the public domain worldwide (Kipling died in 1936); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode joins the Just So Stories already in the Books at Bedtime strand — How the Whale Got His Throat, The Elephant's Child, How the Leopard Got His Spots, How the Camel Got His Hump, The Cat That Walked by Himself, and The Beginning of the Armadillos — alongside Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Kate Chopin, and longer serialised reads including Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Why Can't I Get a Full Breath? — A 10-Minute Meditation for Air Hunger & Anxiety | Ocean Breath Why can't I get a full breath? You've yawned, you've sighed, you've tried a really deep breath, and somehow none of it felt satisfying. If you've been searching for why you can't get a full breath with anxiety, stay with me.For the next ten minutes, we're going to stop chasing the perfect breath. If this catches you somewhere without your headphones, Anchored has specialised visual breathing tools you can simply follow, no counting required: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's session uses ocean breath — a soft, quiet breath through the nose with a gentle narrowing at the back of the throat — to interrupt the urge to chase a bigger and bigger breath. The episode explores how breathing, something the body normally manages entirely on its own, can turn into a job you're anxiously supervising, and offers a gentle way to hand that job back. **A brief note:** if breathlessness is new, unusual, worsening, or comes with chest pain or significant difficulty breathing, please seek medical advice — this episode is for familiar anxiety-related breathing patterns, not a diagnosis. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: why can't I get a full breath?* 00:58 – Channel open & Anchored's visual breathing tools* 01:28 – A brief safety note* 01:58 – Breathing: ocean breath* 04:19 – The loop: how breathing becomes a job you're supervising* 05:29 – Letting attention move elsewhere* 06:43 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 08:10 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:04 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:31 – Outro & be kind 

How the Whale Got His Throat by Rudyard Kipling — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Rudyard Kipling's playful, rhythmic Just So Story How the Whale Got His Throat, read slowly and gently for sleep and insomnia relief. Kipling wrote the Just So Stories specifically as bedtime tales for his own daughter, to be told "just so," word for word, until she drifted off — which makes this one of the most naturally calming stories in the whole Books at Bedtime strand, also known as Coffee Break for the Soul, from the Calming Anxiety podcast.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 (iPhone). Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows a very hungry whale, a clever little 'Stute Fish, and a shipwrecked Mariner of "infinite-resource-and-sagacity" whose jack-knife and suspenders solve rather more than anyone expects. Short, whimsical, and full of Kipling's sing-song repetition, it's an easy, unhurried listen for falling asleep, insomnia, or quieting an anxious mind at the end of the day. First published in 1902 in the collection Just So Stories for Little Children, Rudyard Kipling's How the Whale Got His Throat is in the public domain worldwide (Kipling died in 1936); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode joins the Just So Stories already in the Books at Bedtime strand — The Elephant's Child, How the Leopard Got His Spots, How the Camel Got His Hump, The Cat That Walked by Himself, and The Beginning of the Armadillos — alongside Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Kate Chopin, and longer serialised reads including Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Everything Is Too Much Right Now — A 10-Minute Meditation for Overwhelm | 4-7-8 Breathing & The Torch Everything is too much right now — the messages, the list, the things you haven't done yet, the things you haven't even started. For the next ten minutes, none of it needs you. Just this. If overwhelm hits you midday, the Instant Calm session in the Anchored app is there in seconds, no waiting, no logging in — and for the price of a large coffee, $5.99 gets you a full month of the ad-free app and everything in it. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's session opens with 4-7-8 breathing before offering a simple new way to picture an overwhelmed mind: not a mountain to move all at once, but a dark room lit by a single torch. You were never meant to light the whole room. You just move the beam to one thing — this one breath, this one cup of tea — and let everything else wait quietly in the dark for its turn. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: everything is too much right now* 00:22 – Channel open & Anchored Instant Calm* 00:44 – Breathing: 4-7-8, three rounds* 03:06 – Why overwhelm feels unbearable* 03:49 – The torch in a dark room* 04:35 – One small task, then be kind to yourself* 04:57 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 06:54 – Affirmations, second pass* 08:02 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:47 – Grounding: come back into the room* 09:39 – Outro & be kind 

The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A gentle bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's sharply funny fable The Devoted Friend, read slowly and unhurried for sleep and insomnia relief. This continues the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless nights. For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669Play store - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows kind-hearted little Hans and the rich miller who calls himself Hans's most devoted friend while quietly taking advantage of his generosity. Framed as a story-within-a-story, told by a linnet to a rather pompous water rat beside a pond, it's classic Wilde — witty, satirical, and gently moralising, ideal as an unhurried listen for falling asleep or quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales, Oscar Wilde's The Devoted Friend is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode continues the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince, The Sphinx Without a Secret, The Nightingale and the Rose, and The Model Millionaire (also by Oscar Wilde), and classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Replaying Today, Rehearsing Tomorrow? — A Racing Thoughts Meditation | Sigh Breathing & The Train Platform If your mind won't switch off — replaying today and rehearsing tomorrow all at once — you don't have to make it stop. Just for the next ten minutes, let's do something different. If a busy mind catches you somewhere without headphones, there's a free Instant Calm session inside the Anchored app: no sign-up, no subscription, works offline, ready the second you need it. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode starts with a simple sigh-style breath — in through the nose, out slower and longer, like a natural sigh — before offering a new way to picture a busy mind: not broken, just busy, with thoughts arriving like trains pulling into a station. You don't have to chase every train, or check where it's going. You can simply notice it arrive, and let it leave the platform. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: if your mind won't switch off* 00:24 – Channel open & Anchored Instant Calm* 00:49 – Breathing: the sigh breath* 02:21 – Why a busy mind isn't broken* 03:13 – The train platform* 04:34 – Coming back into the room* 05:16 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 06:39 – Affirmations, second pass* 08:03 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:53 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:21 – Outro, Anchored & an Android update 

Anchored is Now on Android! — Free Anxiety & Panic Attack Relief App with Guided Meditation, Breathing Exercises & Sleep Stories Anchored is now on Android. After a long wait, the anxiety relief app and panic attack relief app that started life right here on Calming Anxiety is finally available on both Android and iPhone — guided breathing exercises, guided meditation for anxiety, and an Instant Calm SOS feature you can reach for the moment you need it. Get it free on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored — or on the App Store for iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 The Calming Anxiety podcast isn't going anywhere — it stays completely free, with thousands of episodes for you to keep listening to on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. But where the podcast player is built for listening, Anchored is built as a toolkit: something to reach for right when anxiety or a panic attack hits, whether that's at your desk, in bed, on a plane, or in the supermarket at 3am. Inside the app: an Instant Calm SOS session that drops you straight into calm without searching, works free, premium, and fully offline; visual breathing tools you can simply watch and follow, so you're never trying to remember or count a complicated breathing pattern mid-panic; and a growing Books at Bedtime library — now 40 sleep stories, all narrated personally by Martin, for the anxious 3am moments as much as the ordinary bedtime ones. Anchored Premium adds ad-free listening, saved favourites, offline downloads, extra breathing and relaxation tools, and an ambient night-light feature to help you drift off. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Anchored is now on Android* 00:19 – Why an app, when the podcast is already free?* 01:05 – Instant Calm SOS* 01:31 – Visual breathing tools — just watch and breathe* 01:58 – Books at Bedtime: 40 narrated sleep stories* 02:19 – Anchored Premium: ad-free, offline, ambient night light* 02:52 – Why it's called Anchored* 03:54 – How to find it on Google Play or the App Store* 04:33 – Thank you 

The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's witty, warm-hearted tale The Model Millionaire, read slowly and gently for sleep, insomnia relief, and unhurried listening. This continues the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless or anxious nights. For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows Hughie Erskine, a charming but penniless young man in love, who gives his last coin to a pitiful old beggar sitting for a painter friend — never dreaming the beggar is secretly one of the richest men in Europe. A gentle, quietly funny story about kindness rewarded, rather than anything unsettling — ideal as a sleep story or relaxation audiobook for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in the newspaper The World in June 1887, and later collected in Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories in 1891, Oscar Wilde's The Model Millionaire is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode continues the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince, The Sphinx Without a Secret, and The Nightingale and the Rose (also by Oscar Wilde), and classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

I Need to Calm Down — A 10-Minute Meditation for Anxiety & Panic | Extended Exhale Breathing If you've just thought the words "I need to calm down" — stop. Don't do anything else yet. Just stay right here for a second. Your heart might be racing, your chest might feel tight, your mind might be moving too fast to catch — and for the next ten minutes, none of that needs fixing straight away.If you need this again later, Anchored's Instant Calm session is there any time, no waiting: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's session uses a gentle, longer-exhale breathing pattern before reframing anxious sensations through the idea of an alarm system: loud, real, and impossible to ignore — but a signal, not a verdict. It's a short reminder that a racing heart or tight chest means you're uncomfortable, not in danger, and that those aren't the same thing. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: if you've just thought "I need to calm down"* 00:40 – Channel open & Anchored Instant Calm* 01:03 – Breathing: the longer exhale* 02:04 – Your alarm system: a signal, not a verdict* 03:32 – Stepping out of the loop* 03:51 – Grounding: you are here* 04:17 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 06:22 – Affirmations, second pass* 08:03 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:47 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:26 – Outro & be kind 

The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's beautiful, bittersweet fairy tale The Nightingale and the Rose, read slowly and gently for sleep, insomnia relief, and unhurried listening. This continues the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless or anxious nights.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows a heartbroken young student who longs for a single red rose to win the girl he loves, and the little nightingale in the oak tree above who resolves, quietly and selflessly, to give him one. A gentle, atmospheric fable about love and sacrifice rather than anything unsettling — ideal as a sleep story or relaxation audiobook for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales, Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode continues the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince, and The Sphinx Without a Secret (also by Oscar Wilde), and classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

I Think I'm Having a Panic Attack — A 10-Minute Meditation to Feel Calm Again If your heart just did something it isn't supposed to do — if you're sat there right now thinking, "I'm having a panic attack" — this episode is for you. For the next ten minutes you don't have to make anything happen, fix this feeling, or force it to go away. You just have to be here. When this feeling shows up again, Anchored is built for exactly this moment: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 — including a box breathing section where you can build your own breathing rhythm, in Martin's own voice, not an AI-generated one. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode uses extended exhale breathing — simply making the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath, no counting required — before working through why a racing heart becomes frightening in the first place: fear draws attention, attention creates more fear, and the watching becomes its own loop. A single, fully-developed wave metaphor carries the episode's therapeutic heart — you are not the wave, you are the sea underneath it, steady long after the wave has gone. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold open: if your heart just did something it isn't supposed to do* 00:53 – Channel open & Anchored* 01:41 – Breathing: extended exhale breathing* 02:59 – The loop: why a racing heart becomes frightening* 03:41 – The wave* 04:40 – Sensory grounding* 05:22 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 06:45 – Affirmations, second pass* 08:00 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:52 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:37 – Outro & be kind 

You Don't Need Everything Fixed — Just Calm — Guided Meditation for Effort Fatigue & Anxiety | Coherent Breathing You're not asking for much, and you don't need every problem solved or your whole life fixed — you just want to feel calm again, even for a moment. If trying to relax has started to feel like just another task on your list, this guided meditation is for you.We'll use coherent breathing to steady the body, then a simple visualisation for the exhausting habit of trying too hard to feel okay. When this feeling shows up again, Anchored is there: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's session uses coherent breathing — in for a count of four, out for a count of six — before reframing calm through the image of easing off an accelerator: not slamming to a stop, just lifting the foot, and noticing that the car slows on its own the moment you stop pushing. Perhaps calm isn't something to chase, but something you can simply stop getting in the way of. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Welcome: you just want to feel calm again* 00:47 – Breathing: coherent breathing, round one* 01:40 – Breathing, round two* 02:41 – The accelerator: easing off instead of pushing harder* 04:09 – Breathing, round three* 05:15 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 07:56 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:54 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:33 – Outro & be kind 

The Sphinx Without a Secret by Oscar Wilde — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's quietly haunting tale The Sphinx Without a Secret, read slowly and gently for sleep, insomnia relief, and unhurried listening. This continues the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for restless or anxious nights. For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows Lord Murchison, who confides in an old Oxford friend over dinner in Paris about a mysterious widow he has fallen for in London, a woman wrapped in secrecy who insists her letters go to a lending library rather than her own home. A slow, unhurried mystery rather than anything unsettling — ideal as a sleep story or relaxation audiobook for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published under the title "Lady Alroy" in 1887, and later renamed The Sphinx Without a Secret by Wilde himself when it was collected in Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories in 1891, this Oscar Wilde tale is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode continues the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Selfish Giant and The Happy Prince (also by Oscar Wilde) and classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Carrying Everyone Else's Feelings? — Guided Meditation for the Quietly Exhausted | Physiological Sigh Breathing If you're always the one who copes — the reliable one, the one who checks on everyone else and never gets asked back — this guided meditation is for you. For the next ten minutes you don't have to hold anything together. We'll use the physiological sigh, a simple two-inhale, one-long-exhale breathing pattern, to ease the body down a gear, then a gentle visualisation for setting down the things you've been carrying that were never really yours.When it all gets too much before or after this session, Anchored's Instant Calm is free, offline, and always there: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode leans on a boxes-in-your-arms metaphor — the to-do list, the thing someone said, tomorrow's problems, someone else's feelings you've quietly taken on as your own — and invites you to set just one box down at a time. You are allowed to rest before everything is finished. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Welcome: when you're always the one who copes* 00:52 – Anchored's Instant Calm* 01:19 – Breathing: the physiological sigh* 02:37 – Visualisation: the boxes you're carrying* 04:16 – A different sentence: "I can put some of this down"* 04:49 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 07:46 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 08:32 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes* 09:10 – A personal reflection: speaking to yourself with kindness* 10:16 – Outro & be kind 

The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde (Part 1) — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's beloved fairy tale The Happy Prince, read slowly and gently for sleep, insomnia relief, and quiet, unhurried listening. This is Part 1 of a two-part reading in the Books at Bedtime strand — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a series of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for anxious or restless nights.For the full library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows a gilded statue high above a city, and the little swallow who stops to shelter at his feet — and stays to hear what the statue has seen from up there. Part 2 continues and completes the story, out soon on the main feed. No jump scares, no urgency, nothing to keep your mind alert — just a slow, unhurried voice and a classic tale, ideal as a sleep story or relaxation audiobook for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales, Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode continues the Books at Bedtime strand, alongside The Selfish Giant (also by Oscar Wilde) and classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime A soothing bedtime story to help you drift off tonight: Oscar Wilde's beloved fairy tale The Selfish Giant, read slowly and gently for sleep, insomnia relief, and quiet, unhurried listening. This is the first instalment of Books at Bedtime — also known as Coffee Break for the Soul — from the Calming Anxiety podcast, a strand of classic story readings designed as a calming audiobook for anxious or restless nights. If you'd like the whole library, plus ambient night-light features for the small hours, download Anchored on iOS:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Narrated softly by Martin Hewlett, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, this reading follows a selfish giant who banishes children from his beautiful garden — only for it to fall into an endless winter until he learns, slowly and gently, what it means to let love back in. No jump scares, no urgency, nothing to keep your mind alert — just a slow, unhurried voice and a classic tale, ideal as a sleep story or relaxation audiobook for falling asleep, insomnia, and quieting an anxious mind before bed. First published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales, Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant is in the public domain worldwide (Wilde died in 1900); this reading is Calming Anxiety's own narration of the classic public-domain text. This episode is part of the ongoing Books at Bedtime strand, alongside classic short fiction from Katherine Mansfield, Kate Chopin, and Arthur Conan Doyle — currently working through The Hound of the Baskervilles — with new instalments added regularly to the main Calming Anxiety feed.  

Mind Won't Switch Off? — Racing Thoughts Meditation for Anxious Nights | 4-7-8 Breathing If your mind won't switch off — even though your body has clearly clocked out — this guided meditation is for you. Whether it's 2am or the middle of an ordinary afternoon, racing thoughts don't wait for a convenient time, and this episode meets you exactly where you are with 4-7-8 breathing, a calming cognitive visualisation, and three daily caring tips you can use anytime the loop starts again. For the nights it gets harder than ten minutes can fix, download Anchored on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 — it's the same voice, free, and there whenever your mind decides it needs help. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's session uses 4-7-8 breathing — in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8 — a technique drawn from years on the road as a paramedic, where changing what the body is doing is often the fastest way to change what the mind is doing. From there, a gentle visualisation reframes anxious thoughts as letters arriving through a letterbox: you don't have to open every one, read it end to end, or write back. You are the house, not the letter. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Welcome: when your mind won't switch off* 01:28 – Introducing 4-7-8 Breathing (from years as a paramedic)* 02:17 – Breathing practice, round one* 04:10 – Breathing practice, round two* 04:29 – The letterbox: thoughts aren't instructions* 05:31 – Today's Gentle Affirmations* 08:17 – Three Daily Caring Tips* 09:28 – Coming back, stretch and release* 09:47 – Outro & be kind 

Monday Morning Anxiety — Calm the Dread of the Week Ahead | Vagus Nerve Breathing Meditation  Monday morning anxiety has a weight all of its own — that heavy, anticipatory dread that arrives before your feet have even touched the floor. In this 10-minute guided meditation, Calming Anxiety host Martin helps you put the whole week down and meet Monday with a nervous system that is working with you, not against you. Today's practice uses vagus nerve breathing — a slow nasal inhale, a gentle hold, and a long, soft exhale — to press the brake pedal on your stress response. Three guided rounds, followed by a warm golden-light body scan and a set of gentle affirmations for anxiety relief, work anxiety and the Sunday scaries that spill into Monday. It closes with three practical daily caring tips you can carry into the day. Whether you're listening in bed, on the train, in the car park, or in the ten quiet minutes before you walk in through those doors — this is deep relaxation and breathwork you can use anywhere. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett.  ⏱️ Time Chapters * 00:00 – Cold open: the weight of a Monday morning* 01:06 – Welcome to Calming Anxiety with Martin* 01:23 – Anchored: over 3,000 searchable sessions* 02:00 – Finding your quiet place and settling* 02:47 – Vagus nerve breathing: three guided rounds* 05:01 – Warm golden light body scan* 06:10 – Today's gentle affirmations* 08:30 – Your three daily caring tips* 09:17 – Coming gently back into the room* 09:38 – Closing thoughts and sign-off  

A Man and His Dog by Katherine Mansfield — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels far away tonight, let Katherine Mansfield's A Man and His Dog carry you gently there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime sleep story follows Mr. Potts, a small, unassuming man weighed down by a difficult night at home, and Lino, the loyal dog waiting for him at the gate, in a quiet, wistful sketch read slowly to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic short story readings for insomnia relief and relaxation.For more calming bedtime stories and relaxing audio whenever you need it, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026.

Waking Up at 3am — Anxiety Relief to Get You Back to Sleep | Extended Exhale Breathing Waking up at 3am with anxiety is one of the loneliest experiences there is — your eyes open on their own, your heart is faster than it should be for someone lying perfectly still, and your mind has already found the one unfinished thought it saved up especially for now. This 10-minute guided meditation is built for exactly that hour. Martin explains why it happens: there is a small, ordinary rise in cortisol in the early hours meant to get your body ready for morning, and when you're anxious that rise arrives a little louder and wakes you. It isn't a warning. It isn't a sign. It's chemistry arriving early. From there the session uses extended exhale breathing — a gentle breath in, a brief pause, and an out-breath always longer than the in — because breathing out directly, mechanically slows your heart rate. It's the simplest somatic tool there is, and the one that works best lying down in the dark, when you don't want to count hard or hold anything. A warm light at the centre of the chest, gentle affirmations for sleep anxiety and insomnia relief, and three practical caring tips follow. If you drift off partway through, that's the point — let the voice fade. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett.  ⏱️ Time Chapters * 00:00 – Cold open: awake at three in the morning* 00:39 – Why you wake: the early-hours cortisol rise* 01:23 – Welcome to Calming Anxiety with Martin* 01:39 – Anchored: the nightlight and offline sleep sessions* 02:24 – Settling: letting the pillow take the weight* 03:36 – Extended exhale breathing: the science* 04:17 – Guided rounds: longer out than in* 05:37 – A warm light at the centre of your chest* 06:08 – Tonight's gentle affirmations* 08:19 – Drifting off, or coming gently back* 09:01 – Your three daily caring tips* 09:43 – Closing thoughts and sign-off  

The Canary by Katherine Mansfield — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels far away tonight, let Katherine Mansfield's The Canary carry you gently there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime sleep story is a quiet, tender monologue: a lonely woman remembers the pet canary who once filled her home with song, and the small, aching space he left behind, read slowly to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic short story readings for insomnia relief and relaxation. For more calming bedtime stories and relaxing audio whenever you need it, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026.

The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels far away tonight, let Katherine Mansfield's The Singing Lesson carry you gently there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime sleep story follows Miss Meadows, a music teacher whose heartbreak colours an entire school day, from a mournful morning lesson to an unexpected telegram that changes everything, read slowly to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic short story readings for insomnia relief and relaxation. For more calming bedtime stories and relaxing audio whenever you need it, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026.

Why Do I Say Sorry for Everything? — People-Pleasing Anxiety Relief | Guided Meditation with 4-2-6 Breathing If you've ever wondered "why do I say sorry for everything?", from bumping into someone to simply having a feeling, today's guided meditation is for you. Calming Anxiety sits with the quiet, exhausting reflex of chronic apologizing, the fear that if you're agreeable enough, easy enough, small enough, nobody will ever be angry with you. We slow the body first with 4-2-6 breathing, in for four, hold for two, out for six, creating the same small pause Martin often had to teach frightened patients as a paramedic: the space between the trigger and the reaction.For daily support beyond this episode, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving in a couple of weeks.

Regret by Kate Chopin — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels far away tonight, let Kate Chopin's Regret carry you there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime story follows Mamzelle Aurélie, a solitary farm woman who never married, as she's unexpectedly left to care for four small children, and slowly discovers what she's missed, read gently to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic story readings for insomnia and relaxation.For more sleep stories and calming audio whenever you need it, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026.

Where Has All My Energy Gone? — High-Functioning Anxiety & Exhaustion Relief | Guided Meditation If you've ever collapsed onto the edge of the bed at the end of a perfectly "fine" day and thought, "where has all my energy gone? I didn't even do anything today," this episode is for you. Calming Anxiety sits with the exhaustion of high-functioning anxiety, the quiet cost of holding everything together while everyone else sees someone coping just fine. We slow the body first with the extended exhale, four counts in and eight counts out, gently unwinding the shallow, high-chest breathing that builds up during a long day of performing calm, the same kind of over-breathing Martin worked with often on ambulance call-outs as a paramedic.For daily support beyond this episode, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving in a couple of weeks.

Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels just out of reach tonight, let Katherine Mansfield's Miss Brill carry you gently there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime story follows a quiet, lonely woman through one ordinary Sunday afternoon in the park, her small joys and quiet ache unfolding slowly, read to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic story readings for insomnia and relaxation. For more sleep stories and calming audio whenever you need it, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026.

Why Do I Feel Dizzy? — Anxiety-Induced Lightheadedness Relief | Guided Meditation with 4-4-8 Breathing If the floor has ever seemed to tilt beneath you, or the room's gone soft and swimming for no reason at all, today's guided meditation is for you. Calming Anxiety sits with anxiety-induced dizziness, the frightening, light-headed feeling that convinces you something is medically wrong, when the real cause may simply be anxious breathing. We slow the body first with 4-4-8 breathing (in for four, hold for four, and a long, slow exhale for eight), a technique Martin has used often as a paramedic kneeling beside people who were certain they were about to collapse. For daily support beyond this episode, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving next month.

The New Dress by Virginia Woolf — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime If sleep feels far away tonight, let Virginia Woolf's The New Dress carry you there. Tonight's Books at Bedtime story follows Mabel Waring through a single anxious evening at a party, her insecurities rising and falling like a slow tide, read gently to ease you toward sleep. This is a Calming Anxiety production, read by host Martin Hewlett as part of our nightly Books at Bedtime and Coffee Break for the Soul series of classic story readings for insomnia and relaxation. For more sleep stories and calming audio whenever you need them, download Anchored on iOS, with Android arriving September 2026. 

Comparison Anxiety — A Guided Meditation for When You Feel Behind in Life | Box Breathing Comparison anxiety can creep in on the most ordinary days — that quiet sense that everyone else has the job, the relationship, the plan, and you're still standing at the same crossroads. This guided meditation is for anyone who feels like the only one who hasn't got it together, using box breathing (4-4-4-4) to calm the nervous system before a set of gentle affirmations that put the measuring stick down for good. Download the free Anchored app — the one app with no feed, no likes, nothing to compare yourself against — at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, this episode gently separates life-stage comparison anxiety from doomscrolling — it's not about the scroll itself, but about what we do to ourselves when we hold our own life up against someone else's highlight reel. You'll be guided through steady box breathing, then a golden-light visualisation and a set of affirmations to help you feel calm, grounded, and enough exactly as you are. ⏱️ Time Chapters* 00:00 – Cold Open: The Only One Who Hasn't Got It Together* 01:00 – Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)* 05:00 – Golden Light Affirmations* 09:00 – 3 Daily Caring Tips* 10:00 – Outro & Anchored 

The String Quartet by Virginia Woolf — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime Drift off tonight to a dreamlike bedtime story for sleep and insomnia, read slowly and gently to help you fall asleep naturally. Tonight on Books at Bedtime, Martin reads Virginia Woolf's "The String Quartet" — a short, hypnotic piece from her 1921 collection Monday or Tuesday. It begins in a crowded London drawing room, full of overheard fragments — the weather, the traffic, a rent too high, a glove left on the train. The small anxious chatter of a mind that cannot settle. Then four musicians take their seats, the first violin counts one, two, three, and everything changes. The music carries the listener somewhere else entirely. A pear tree on a mountain. Fountains and falling drops. The waters of the Rhône running swift and deep over silver fish and yellow pebbles. Lovers on the grass, silver horns at dawn, a rose leaf falling from an enormous height like a little parachute. It is one of the loveliest things Woolf ever wrote about how it feels when sound takes over from thought — when the fretting mind finally lets go and simply floats. Which makes it, we think, close to perfect for the last thing you hear tonight. There is no need to follow the story. There is no plot to lose. Let the words move over you like the music moves over the people in that room, and let yourself drift. Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) remains one of the most quietly beautiful voices in English literature, and this piece is in the public domain. Read by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, host of Calming Anxiety and Coffee Break for the Soul. Sleep well, my friend.  Buy Me a Coffee: Support hosting costs at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxiety Newsletter: Subscribe on Substack at https://calminganxietypodcast.substack.com/?r=6zm0sc&utm_campaign=pub-share-checklist Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners! YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/ Music: All music by Chris CollinsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.