I don’t want to be the person who says, “Well, it worked for me, so it will work for you too.” But there is research on bedtime task lists and other kinds of journaling that suggests writing can support sleep and reduce anxiety for some people. Personally, I think it’s worth a try—especially if thoughts about tomorrow keep you awake.
Can journaling before bed help you fall asleep faster?
It might. In a study of 57 healthy young adults, people wrote for five minutes before sleeping in a lab. One group listed things they needed to do over the next few days. The other listed things they’d already done. The group writing about what they still needed to do fell asleep faster.
That makes sense to me. Once a reminder is on the page, you know where to find it tomorrow. You may feel less need to keep telling yourself, “Don’t forget. Seriously, don’t forget.” That could explain why the list helped, though the study didn’t prove why it worked.
I wouldn’t take that to mean “journaling fixes insomnia,” though. The study lasted one night, and everyone did some writing. It gives us a reason to try a short task list. It doesn’t tell us whether writing more would help, or whether it would stop you waking up during the night.
Does journaling before bed help with anxiety?
Writing may help you feel less anxious. But does doing it right before bed help? The study below gives us some clues about journaling and anxiety, though it didn’t look at bedtime specifically.
In a small study of 70 adults with health conditions and higher anxiety levels, one group was asked to write about positive experiences and feelings for 15 minutes, three times a week. After a month, they reported less anxiety than the group getting their usual care. The study wasn’t about bedtime, so it can’t tell us whether one entry will help you feel calmer tonight.
After you try it, notice two things: do you feel less worried, and do you fall asleep any more easily? You may get one without the other. If you feel calmer but are still awake, try writing earlier in the evening or keep the entry shorter.
How to try journaling before sleep
If things you need to do keep coming to mind, I’d spend about five minutes writing them down before getting into bed. Keep each note simple and specific. “Check the appointment time” is clear. “Sort everything out” is not.
Personally, I’d leave sorting out my entire life off the bedtime list. Write the next small step, then put the list somewhere you’ll actually look in the morning.
If you’re upset about something, there may be no task to add. You could start with: “I’m still annoyed about today. I don’t know what I want to do about it yet.” That puts the feeling into words, even if you haven’t figured it out. I’d start there rather than trying to answer every “why” before bed. The task-list study didn’t test this kind of writing, so we don’t know whether it would have the same effect on sleep.
A few journaling before bed prompts
If you’re sitting there wondering where to start, try one of these:
- What am I trying to remember for tomorrow?
- Is there a next step I can come back to in the morning?
- What’s still bothering me from today?
- How am I feeling about it right now?
Use the first two for things you need to do, or the last two for something that’s bothering you. One question is enough to get started.
What if you’re still not sleeping?
Look at what happens after you write. Are you spending less time reminding yourself about tomorrow or going over the same worry? Or have you just spent another half hour thinking when you wanted to be asleep?
If writing keeps you up, try doing it earlier in the evening, especially if you tend to write a lot. Journaling at night doesn’t have to mean writing right before you close your eyes. I wouldn’t keep adding pages and hoping the next one makes me sleepy.
If you keep struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep and it’s affecting your days, talk with a healthcare professional. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, is usually the first treatment recommended for long-term insomnia. Journaling may still be helpful, but it doesn’t replace treatment.
Is it worth trying?
So, can journaling before bed help? It may. A short list of tomorrow’s tasks could make it easier to settle, and other research suggests writing may help with anxiety too. Try a few simple notes and see how you feel. If writing keeps you awake, do it earlier. And if sleep is still a struggle, talk with a healthcare professional.
