Books at Bedtime By Calming Anxiety - THE LADY IN THE LOOKING-GLASS - By Virginia Woolf

The Lady in the Looking Glass by Virginia Woolf — Full Short Story Read Aloud | Sleep Story for Insomnia, Anxiety & Deep Sleep | Books at Bedtime



A calming bedtime story to help you fall asleep — the complete, unabridged short story The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection by Virginia Woolf, narrated slowly and softly for anyone lying awake with insomnia, anxiety or a racing mind in the small hours.



People should not leave looking glasses hanging in their rooms. So begins one of Woolf's most beautiful pieces of writing — a summer afternoon in an empty country house, a long Italian mirror hanging out in the hall, and someone lying on the sofa watching the world go quietly on without them. In the room, everything moves: lights and shadows, curtains blowing, petals falling. In the glass, nothing moves at all — the hall table, the sunflowers, a grass path held so fixedly they seem caught there forever. You can listen offline, any time you wake in the night, in the Anchored app —

👉 download on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669



Half an hour ago the mistress of the house, Isabella Tyson, walked down that grass path in a thin summer dress carrying a basket, and was sliced clean out of the picture by the gilt rim of the mirror. What follows is a mind trying to imagine its way into another person — inventing her, furnishing her with thoughts and letters and secrets — while it waits for her to come back into view.



This is a gentle listen for a wakeful night. Almost nothing happens: a room, a mirror, some sunlight, the post arriving. Woolf writes the drawing room like a nocturnal wood full of shy creatures, and the whole story moves at the pace of an afternoon in which nobody is expected anywhere. Perfect for anyone who finds classic literature and long-form audiobooks more restful than silence. If you drift off in the first few minutes, that is exactly what this reading is for.



First published in 1929, this is our fourth Virginia Woolf reading in the Books at Bedtime series, following Kew Gardens, The Mark on the Wall and Solid Objects — all of which are in the feed if this one suits you.



Books at Bedtime is the sleep story and classic audiobook series from Calming Anxiety, hosted and narrated by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett — alongside Coffee Break for the Soul and the daily ten-minute guided meditations for anxiety, panic attacks and sleep. If long-form bedtime stories for adults help you sleep, this series is written for those long, wakeful hours.



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Download Anchored on iOS. Access over 3,000 searchable, offline-ready audio sessions, sleep stories with Books at Bedtime, and built-in nightlight features for the small hours. 👉 Download Anchored on the App Store today: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669



The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection by Virginia Woolf was first published in 1929 and is in the public domain.



If this reading helped you sleep, please share it with someone who lies awake, and leave a 30-second rating or review on Apple Podcasts — it is the single kindest thing you can do for a small independent show.



Sleep well. And until tomorrow …be kind.



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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.