How to Optimize Your Pre-Sleep Routine
This Five-Minute Bedtime Habit Can Revolutionize How You Fall Asleep
The lights are off. Your head hits the pillow. You’re about to drift off to sleep when the thought of your to-do list pops into your head.
You remember a work task you have yet to finish. You realize you forgot to pack your gym bag and make a mental note to do it in the morning. You wonder if you should reschedule lunch with your friend. The next thing you know, your mind is in overdrive and sleep feels further and further away.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone, especially if you’re used to having busy days and doing one thing after the other.
“It's quite common for unfinished tasks and unresolved thoughts to surface right before your head hits the pillow,” according to licensed mental health counselor Lauren Palumbo. “For many men, bedtime can lead to unhelpful overthinking, including a flood of ideas or reminders just as they're trying to get to sleep.”
According to Anouska Shenn, founder of The Office Yoga Company, two major obstacles to sleep are an overactive mind and a body that won’t relax. While there are many strategies to calm the body, a simple notebook and a pen might be the key to quieting your thoughts.
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The Science Behind Pre-Sleep Overthinking
Research shows a link between racing thoughts and insomnia. “When the mind is in overdrive right before sleep this actually activates the brain's stress response, increasing cortisol levels and telling our bodies it's time for action,” says Palumbo.
As a result, your body is on guard instead of feeling relaxed. “You may find you ruminate or feel stuck thinking about things that still need to get done,” adds Palumbo. This tendency interferes with sleep and can lead to anxiety and irritability.
When your body is geared up for action and your brain is in overdrive, it doesn’t matter how tired you are — falling asleep becomes an uphill battle. And both your body and mind have an impact on one another. But you can break this cycle by giving your thoughts an outlet.
How a Notebook Can Help You Sleep Better
So, where does a notebook come into play? When you take five minutes to jot down any thoughts that pop into your mind, you can unburden yourself from them and start relaxing.
Over time, this leads to better sleep. “Thoughts can have an intrusive quality to them at night, because we’re usually all too aware of how they’re disrupting our efforts to fall asleep,” says Shenn.
According to Shenn, writing any worries down can be helpful because it gives you some emotional distance. When you externalize them on paper, you become the observer of your thoughts. This is an exercise in mindfulness and allows you to detach yourself from inner narratives that are adding to your stress.
Jotting down pending tasks that pop into your mind as you doze off can also help you combat overthinking and sleep better.
“For some people, it's a game-changer to keep a notebook by the bed to offload all of the tasks weighing on their minds. Your bedside notebook can be a place to compartmentalize tasks to be dealt with tomorrow,” says Palumbo. “This can help reduce anxiety, making it easier to let go, get to sleep and tackle issues the next day.”
Tips to Make This a Habit (Without It Backfiring)
Ready to try keeping a notebook by your bedside so you can fall asleep faster? There are a few tips to keep in mind to successfully embrace the habit.
Start by doing some legwork before bed — while brushing your teeth, for example. “If your mind often shifts into overdrive at bedtime, I’d suggest taking a few moments before you go to bed to mentally debrief your day,” recommends Shenn. “That way, when you’re ready to turn in, you would have already done the work of letting go of some of that momentum.”
Continue with your bedtime routine. If thoughts or tasks pop into your mind, grab your journal and write them down. Don’t force it, but just notice them as they occur and write them down as you go. Avoid turning the practice into a full-on journaling session, which can bring up even more thoughts and emotions, says Palumbo: “It may trigger other feelings and interfere with sleep — write short notes that will jog your memory the next day instead.”
Finally, don’t use your phone. Paper is key. “Using your phone could easily have the opposite effect on your ability to fall asleep,” adds Shenn.
If you still struggle with intrusive thoughts, Palumbo suggests pairing the exercise with a body-centric mindfulness exercise, such as a body scan, which involves “scanning” your body from head to toe and noticing areas of tension. "Mindfulness helps bring us back into the present moment and away from catastrophic thinking about the future, including tomorrow’s worries," says Palumbo.
Give the ritual a try for a few nights. If you find that the approach leaves you feeling more alert than relaxed, you may want to skip it. It doesn’t work for everyone — but if it works for you, it may just revolutionize your sleep.
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