JOURNALLING FOR SLEEP
Do you find yourself about to drift off, when your mind begins to race with anxious thoughts, frustrations from the day, and things to do tomorrow? Perhaps you should try sleep journalling - the simple act of writing down your thoughts and feelings before you head to bed.
Struggling to sleep? - You’re Not Alone
One in seven of us survive on less than 5 hours of sleep, whilst nearly three-quarters of us do not get the recommended seven to nine hours’ sleep. Sleeping for less than seven hours a night is correlated with a range of health conditions including heart problems, as well as chronic diseases such as diabetes and dementia.
Could Sleep Journalling be the Solution?
Putting pen to paper, can help process your thoughts from the day. This clarity can prevent overthinking and enable you to fall asleep quicker and improve your quality of sleep. Awake from a deep slumber feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new day.
Sleep journaling
There is no right way to ‘Sleep Journal’, but if you’re not sure where to start try out our simple tips below:
Use a notebook rather than a notes app on your phone. The blue light emitted from screens effects melatonin production which controls your sleep-wake cycle, meaning it could actually take you longer to fall asleep.
Keep your journal beside your bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night with your mind racing or there is something you need to remember for the following day note it down and review in the morning.
There are no rules, the goal is simple - to clear your mind.
Don’t feel pressure to write in your journal every night, do it when you need it. Sleep journaling should help relieve stress, not add to it.
Not sure where to start, use prompts or a template as a guide (see below).
Prompts cues
‘What did I like best about today?’
‘What do I need to get done tomorrow?’
‘What would I do differently about today?’
Structured brain dump
Divide your page into 4 quarters with the following headings ‘Good’, ‘Bad’, ‘Problems’, ‘Solutions’.
Fill in each section with things from your day that fits each box’s description. The solution section is something you will do tomorrow or in the future to overcome the problem/s.
This approach allows you to acknowledge what has been difficult about the day, but also recognising the good, It also provides an opportunity to analyse difficult situations and what you can do to make it better.
