Go to sleep with George Clarke…

According to a recent survey, 33% of people struggle to fall asleep at night with many of us tossing and turning for hours before drifting off. Not only does reading a gentle story before bed transport us back to our childhood, it also allows our brain to relax and transition into a sleeping state.

We asked the public to write an original, bedtime story to be recorded by George Clarke just in time for World Sleep Day on 17th March. After receiving nearly 100 entries, we chose Becky Johnston’s entry ‘The Land of Kindaroo’ as the perfect story to drift off to dreamland.

Here’s the audio of George Clarke reading Becky Johnston’s, The Land of Kindaroo

Becky Johnston, the 26 year old talented writer of such a beautiful bedtime story shares her own words on winning the competition…

“I thoroughly enjoyed writing the short story. It gave me a much needed escapism and I found myself getting lost within the little world I’d created. The moral of the story is something I'm passionate about; the world needs kindness more than ever. I won’t lie, when I heard George Clarke would be reading my story, both myself and my mother were elated. We love his amazing spaces series and I find his work inspiring! I feel truly honoured and blessed to have won the competition. I hope my story spreads some smiles and love.“

Get a good night's sleep

Yvonne Keal, Senior Product Manager, shares 3 ways the perfect window dressing can help you drift off

1. Control light levels

To combat the early morning glow that can sometimes wake you up too quickly, choose a window dressing with a blackout lining in your bedroom. If blinds aren’t to your taste, solid wooden shutters are another one of the most effective window dressings when it comes to blocking out both light and noise.

2. Create a peaceful space

Nobody enjoys banging and crashing outside when you’re trying to get to sleep, as it disturbs your ability to drift off. A thermal lining on your curtains not only provides energy efficiency benefits but may help insulate against noise.

3. Find the perfect temperature

The ideal bedroom temperature for promoting sleep is between 16-18°C. Anything lower than this and it can be hard to drop off. To help regulate your room’s temperature – and stop draughts from getting in – it's a good idea to invest in a thermal lining for curtains or blackout lining for your roman blinds.

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With our sleep tool, you can easily find out what time you need to go to sleep based on the time you need to wake up, so you feel refreshed and ready for the day.