Journaling isn’t just self-care—it’s sleep care. It creates a quiet space between your day and your dreams, helping to clear mental clutter, reduce stress, and ease your mind into rest. And when practiced consistently, it can become a gentle, soul-nourishing ritual that benefits both your emotional well-being and your sleep quality.
How Journaling Supports Better Sleep
Writing before bed clears the mental noise: Racing thoughts? Worry spirals? Bedtime journaling gives your brain a place to “download” everything it’s holding onto—making space for rest. In a clinical study of 42 poor sleepers, sleep onset latency significantly decreased in the groups that expressed their thoughts and worries on paper compared to the group that didn’t write at all [1].
Journaling for sleep encourages emotional release: Whether it’s gratitude, frustration, or just a long to-do list, putting it on paper gives your feelings form—and often, release. Nighttime journaling is a safe, private way to process emotions, reduce bedtime anxiety and improve emotional resilience over time.
Creates a calming nighttime routine: Our bodies thrive on routine. A few quiet minutes of journaling before bed can become a signal to your nervous system that it’s time to wind down, helping to shift out of the busy “doing” mode and into restful “being.” When combined with a natural sleep aid like a DEEPS Sleep Patch, journaling can become a key part of your holistic insomnia treatment.
What to Journal About Before Bed
1. Gratitude Lists
Focus on 3 things you appreciated today, no matter how small. A person in your life, an interaction you had, or a feeling you felt. This helps shift the mind toward calm and contentment.
2. To-do List
Write down your list of tasks for tomorrow. This will help quiet any next-day anxiety and prevents those “don’t forget” thoughts from popping up at bedtime. Bonus: You’ll wake up with a clear plan—ready to step into your day with focus, purpose, and immediate productivity.
3. Worry Release
Write down what’s on your mind and what can wait until tomorrow. Write every overthought action and every minor mistake to help you avoid those pesky in-bed mental spirals. Get it out of your mind and let your journal “hold” it for you.
4. Sleep Affirmations
Gently state how you want to feel tonight: “I give myself permission to rest”, “I am safe to let go today”, “I have done my best for this day”, or “I forgive myself for any mistakes I made today”. These statements will help give you more control over your feelings and clear anxieties.
5. Free Write
No rules. Just write whatever comes up like a stream of consciousness. Often, your body will follow your mind into stillness.
Best Practices for Journaling
Pen to paper journaling is ideal. If typing on phone or computer is what it takes for you to journal, pop open your Notes app or Google docs and do that. But try to work towards writing your thoughts down on paper to give yourself a break from blue light exposure and avoid digital distractions that can disrupt healthy sleep habits.
Pair journaling with a natural sleep aid. The 5-15 minutes that it takes to journal make it the perfect time to slap on a DEEPS sleep patch and let your mind release its thoughts while the patch gets to work releasing its active ingredients. Apply your transdermal sleep patch, journal, then before you know it, you will be ready to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer – without the need for habit-forming sleep aids or harsh medications.
Journal with intention. Sleep with support. Wake up refreshed.
References:
[1] Harvey, A. G., & Farrell, C. (2003). The Efficacy of a Pennebaker-Like Writing Intervention for Poor Sleepers. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 1(2), 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15402010BSM0102_4