The Bedtime Story:A New Chapter

The study of human sleep spans the biological, psychosocial as well as sociocultural realms. In fact, sleep is frequently considered a biopsychosocial concept. Newly developed scientific techniques of the 20th century have facilitated advances in the study of the neurophysiological correlates of sleep-a heretofore unexplored area. Research has also given importance to the psychological dimension of sleep, most notably, to a mutual cause-and-effect relationship between psychological disturbance and sleep disorders. The cultural context of sleep, however, offers scope for more exploration. In view of this existing lacuna in sleep-related research, the present study has chosen to focus on the significance of a cultural practice- the narration of bedtime stories. The telling of bedtime stories to children has formed a pre-sleep ritual in cultures around the world, with the narrator usually being an adult, or, at times, an older sibling of the young listener. The source of such stories has ranged from mythology, fairy tales and popular folk tales, to the narrator's own creative imagination or even personal experiences. While such oral and written traditions have existed in extremely varied cultures, the themes of the stories have, interestingly, borne remarkable similarities. In recent decades it has become increasingly evident from research findings that the role of bedtime stories extends far beyond making a child go to sleep peacefully. It is the purpose of the current article, therefore, to examine the narration of bedtime stories not merely as a cultural phenomenon, but as a phenomenon that has the potential to have a cognitive, social and psychological impact on the life of the child. The discussion attempts to thereby cover both, the developmental and the therapeutic effects of the inclusion of such a ritual in the nighttime routine of the child. It goes on to specify whether the effects mentioned are transitory or more long-lasting and permanent. This article is based on an extensive review of the existing scientific literature obtained from periodicals, books and online databases. The significance of this present study lies in its weaving together of various interconnected factors, and throwing light on relationships that have not so far been apparent, thus making it possible for the scientific community to reap the benefits of an interdisciplinary study.