It’s quiet outside your windows. The sun set a couple of hours ago. The clock on your phone says it’s well past your bedtime.

By all accounts, you should be asleep. Yet your mind is behaving like it’s the middle of the afternoon. 😣

No matter how still you lay or how tightly you close your eyes, you can’t stop your brain from thinking about how you could have made your point better in the meeting this morning or from reshuffling tomorrow’s schedule so you can fit in absolutely everything on your to-do list.

It’s no wonder you can’t sleep.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a magic spell that can just make all of your thoughts and worries go poof. But there are methods you can use to redirect those thoughts and ease your negative feelings around them.

And one of the best ways to do that is to journal before you go to sleep.

Emptying all of your thoughts and putting them on paper before bed has been shown to:

🛌 Decrease anxiety
🛌 Reframe negative thoughts
🛌 Calm your mind and body
🛌 Help increase your relaxation (therefore moving you closer to sleep)

If you’re not sure where to start with journaling before bed, no worries. We’ve listed out 20 prompts here to help you get started.

📝Tonight I Will Write About...

1. How does my body feel right now? What words would I use to describe how I’m feeling? What thoughts am I having trouble letting go of?
2. These things might keep me up if I don’t write them down.
3. Today taught me that…
4. Here’s everything that went well today.
5. What was the biggest challenge I faced today? What did it make me realize? How will I approach it next time?
6. Five things I’m grateful for today.
7. List five words that describe today and why.
8. If I let go of one thing that’s bothering me, this is what it would feel like.
9. If I feel like I still need help working through this problem tomorrow, here is a list of people I will ask for help from.
10. Tomorrow, I must (email, call, change the oil in my car, print my resume, etc.)...
11. What’s the one thing I’m most looking forward to tomorrow?
12. What do I want to take from today into tomorrow?
13. If my friend was having trouble sleeping tonight, here’s the advice I would give her.
14. Who’s someone I really appreciate? What do they do to make sure I feel supported and cared for?
15. Where do I want to visit in my dreams tonight?
16. Write down all of the thoughts you had the last time you couldn’t sleep.
17. What’s a recurring dream you’ve had? Write down as many details as you can remember.
18. Tomorrow you have a huge presentation. You’re trying to fall asleep but your neighbor’s TV is too loud. Describe the emotions you’re feeling while being kept awake, the actions you would take to try and resolve the situation, and the results you would get from resolving it.
19. Describe your dream bed. Go into as much detail as possible, including the color of the bedding, the type of pillows you’d have, the number of blankets, etc.
20. Describe the strangest place you’ve ever fallen asleep and what happened when you woke up there.
    

If you’re someone who’s experienced insomnia, you know nighttime is only half the battle. Oftentimes, the morning can be just as much of a challenge as night.

Journaling in the morning can also be beneficial for you, especially if you find:

• You dread getting up in the morning
• You lack motivation in the morning
• Stress and anxiety are a big part of your morning
• You need help waking up your mind
• You need help feeling more present in your morning

Here are 20 prompts to help you start your day off on the right foot.

✍🏽 This Morning I Will Write About...

1. Write down any and all thoughts that kept you up last night. Why did these thoughts interfere with your sleep?
2. Last night I dreamed about...
3. How do I want to feel at the end of today?
4. If I do this one small thing today, I’ll be headed in the right direction.
5. One thing I can do today to help someone else is...
6. Here are five things I can do to take good care of myself today.
7. Today, I’m finding inspiration from...
8. The best advice I’ve ever received has been...
9. The piece of advice I’m glad I ignored is...
10. No matter how I’m feeling, I can help but smile when…
11. Where do I want to be a year from now?
12. What’s one area in my life you want to improve?
13. List five things that help you relax.
14. What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself in the past year?
15. What are you most proud of?
16. What is your favorite memory of this month so far?
17. What would amaze your childhood self about your life right now?
18. Describe a situation that might trip you up today. Create a plan of action for how you’ll handle it when it comes up.
19. Brainstorm five positive affirmations for yourself.
20. List all of the things you have planned for today.