Fearless Fables: Courageous Stories for the Sleepless this Halloween
Rachel MarshallDid you know that 47% of British adults still fear the dark?
Whether we’re hearing strange noises, experiencing nightmarish dreams or fretting about intruders, it seems we’re a nation of nighttime worriers. What’s more, men are more likely than women to seek solace under the duvet from the ghouls, monsters and bogeymen under the bed.
Far from being something we grow out of, 22% of us admit to reverting to tried and tested childhood bedtime routines to help us drift off. 49% of men and 30% of women admit to checking for monsters under the bed or reading a bedtime story, while 25% sleep with their heads under a pillow.
Psychotherapist and author Eloise Skinner said “Focusing on a fun bedtime routine such as reading a bedtime story can help people overcome their fear of the dark. A story where the main character overcomes a fear of the dark will help reduce anxiety and soothe people to sleep.”
With 28% of adults feeling ‘silly’ for being afraid of the dark, and 24% concerned their phobia will rub off on their children, Bensons for Beds has created the Fearless Fables: Courageous Stories for the Sleepless series to help people of all ages overcome their nighttime jitters.
Bedtime stories for the 21st century
There’s nothing like a bedtime story to soothe you to sleep. So, to help combat the fear of things that go bump in the night, we’ve reimagined three classics for the modern world. Featuring princesses that miss an alarm (or 300!) to a Belle of the Ball who’s scared of the dark, we’ve given a 21st Century twist to some well-loved tales.
View the stories below to drift off into a peaceful slumber… whether you’re brave enough to hang your foot over the side of the bed at night is up to you!
- Sleeping Beauty and The Quest For Rest
- Snow White and The Seven Burnouts
- Cinderella and The Courage to Shine
Fear of the dark: what do Brits say?
We surveyed 1000 adults and found that nearly half (47%) are still afraid of the dark, while a third say they don’t feel completely safe at night.
At this time of year, when the nights draw in and the wind starts howling, our thoughts can run wild and affect our sleep - and it’s easy to see why. 6 out of 10 adults claim that worries about ghosts and monsters fill their thoughts, while 20% of men blame the spooky Halloween season for making their phobia worse.
What’s more, we don’t help ourselves. 37% of adults surveyed believe their fear of the dark comes from watching horror films or TV crime dramas, and the top 10 things that give Brits the spooks are:
- Unexpected noises
- Bad dreams or nightmares
- Burglars and intruders
- Horror films / TV crime dramas
- Ghosts and monsters
- Shadows
- Traumatic events or childhood memories
- Being home alone
- Reading scary books
- Halloween / spooky season
Nyctophobia, as fear of the dark is also known, can affect us all differently. To help keep their worries at bay, just under half (46%) of British adults sleep with the light on, or keep the door open (32%). 28% of us hold off going to the loo in the middle of the night, while 3 in 10 ask their partner to deal with children, pets or unexplained noises.
Eloise Skinner spoke to us about the possible reasons why:
“Our fear of the dark can relate to primal instincts and the fact that we're more at risk and vulnerable when we can't see our full surroundings. Feelings of uncertainty, loneliness or isolation in the darkness can also provide a large space for our imagination to envisage frightening situations.
“It’s interesting to see from the research that men are more afraid of the supernatural than women, and they may feel a need to be protectors. While women might feel safe knowing their partner is present, men could feel an additional obligation to be alert on behalf of others.”
How to sleep if you’re afraid of the dark
Although many of us grow out of it, being scared of the dark still affects many Brits, and we know that poor sleep can impact our physical and mental health.
Sleep helps us replenish energy stores in our muscles, regulates our emotions, and can improve memory, focus and concentration.
Fortunately, alongside our bedtime stories, there are plenty of things you can do to promote good sleep, even if the dark does give you the heebie-jeebies… We’ve compiled some of our favourites from sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock below:
- Get plenty of exercise. People who exercise regularly report sleeping better and for longer. Aim for 30 minutes a day, 3-5 times per week.
- Avoid screens before bed: Phones and tablets before bed can distract us and keep us awake for longer. Instead, try one of our wind-down routines such as reading. No scary movies!
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary foods before bedtime: All three can impact our sleep. Even though alcohol is a sedative you think you fall asleep easier, the quality of your sleep is worse.
- Make your bedroom cool, dark and quiet: Keep your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible to avoid disruptions. Sleeping in a room which is slightly cooler than normal room temperature can help to promote better quality sleep.
- Stick to a routine: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help your body maintain a natural sleep cycle… even on a full moon!
- Invest in your sleep: We might be biased but a high-quality bed and mattress will do wonders for your sleep quality.
How to get back to sleep
If you do wake up, either from a noise outside, a bad dream or just needing the loo, all is not lost. Dr Sophie Bostock explains here how to get back to sleep with ease.
Bedtime stories aren’t just for kids
Maybe bedtime stories aren’t just for little ones, and even grownups can take inspiration from courageous characters defying the odds. Our brand manager Rachel Marshall said:
“We were surprised to find out just how many adults are suffering from a fear of the dark. Thousands of us are experiencing disturbed sleep because of this and are hiding under pillows, or leaving lamps on, for example, just to get through the night, so particularly with Halloween approaching, our Fearless Fables bedtime story series aims to help soothe Brits with a proper wind-down and time to relax before bed which we know is so important for helping people drift off to sleep, but also in getting a better quality of sleep all through the night.”
View the Fearless Fables: Courageous Stories for the Sleepless series below.