Bedtime on Dragon Mountain
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Hi friends! This episode is a little bit different. It's a story that is specially designed to help you relax. Did you know that one great way to do that is to quickly imagine different things? An apple, a zebra, a mountain, a sock, one right after the other. It's

It's something called cognitive shuffling, and research shows that it helps the brain to shake off all the thoughts from the day and cruise into a nice rest. As you listen to this story, take some deep breaths and picture each scene to give your brain a little imagination vacation. Happy listening!

As the sun sets on Dragon Mountain, the warm light fades from gold to rosy pink to dusty blue and deepest purple. The wind ruffles the tall pine trees and the owls hoot drowsily to one another as they wake up from their daytime sleep. The sound of the wind plays a quiet duet with the rippling and splashing of a clear mountain stream.

It's a beautiful, cool, clear night, and it's time for the dragon to get ready for a good night's sleep. Inside the dragon's cozy cave, the embers of a warm fire glow brightly in the fireplace. The red-gold light of the fire flickers on the smooth stone walls of the cave.

The light glints and glimmers on piles of gold coins and jewels and other stray bits of treasure. Beautiful embroidered tapestries are draped over the stalagmites that reach up from the floor of the cave. A dragon always surrounds themselves with their most prized possessions.

Outside the cave on Dragon Mountain, the owls have flown down into the deep green forests to hunt and hoot their gossip to one another. The bears are snug in their den, sleeping piled together and snoring like an avalanche. The bats that roost in the mountain's nooks and crannies come soaring out into the night air.

A dragon must follow a lengthy bedtime routine or they will wake up stiff, sore, grouchy, and with a mouth that tastes like burned toast and yesterday's socks. First, they stretch from their long, long neck down to the tip of their spiky tail. They stretch their wings and flex their toes. Have you ever stretched like a dragon?

From your head down to your toes with your arms stretched wide like wings, you could give it a try right there, wherever you are. Spread out your arms and legs and each one of your fingers and toes. Take a deep, deep breath. Let it out slowly, slowly.

A dragon always breathes carefully in their cave, of course. They don't want to accidentally breathe out a little bit of fire and scorch their beautiful tapestries. After a stretch, it's time for a bath. Dragons don't use bathtubs full of hot, soapy water like you or I might do. A dragon bath is in a pit of lovely, warm sand next to the fireplaces.

The dragon wiggles their whole body down into the sand and rolls slowly from side to side. The sand polishes the dragon's scales and cleans all the folds and crevices of their tough, scaly hide. In the sand bath, the dragon makes sure to floss their fangs and clean underneath their claws.

Once their claws are clean and their scales are gleaming, the dragon shakes off the sand and lumbers across the cave to their nest, where they curl up into a ball with their wings neatly folded and their nose tucked under their tail. On Dragon Mountain, the wind whispers across the peaks. The velvety black night closes around the forest like a blanket, and the moon slowly rises over the trees.

The bears are still sleeping in a pile in their den, snoring. The owls and bats are swooping silently through the trees, looking for their dinner. And inside the mountain, in a warm, cozy cave, is a dragon, falling slowly asleep, taking deep breaths, dreaming of counting treasure, and soaring over a mountain sunrise.

Hey friends, Molly, Sanden, and Mark here with some very big news. Drumroll please.

We're hitting the road in search of adventure, fresh air, and you. That's right. We're going to be live at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, April 27th. Our science-themed live stage show takes the audience on an adventure through the brain, complete with magic tricks, dance moves, out-of-body experiences, mystery sounds, and a game show. Molly, you almost left out the most important part. Yeah, Molly, don't forget the big party. Oh,

Oh, right. After the shows, we're throwing a brain-tastic bash. Join us afterward for a VIP party where we'll play games, guess mystery sounds, pose for photos, and give as many high fives as humanly possible. Snag a spot by purchasing a VIP pass when you buy your show ticket. Oh, that reminds me. I've got to start training. These hands aren't going to high five by themselves. Five and five. Good idea.

And remember, spots are limited, so grab your tickets today at brainson.org slash events.