Table of Contents
What are the effects of journaling before bed?
The study found journaling reduced bedtime worry and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality. To try the technique used in the study, set aside 15 minutes each night for writing about a recent positive experience. While some can write for hours at a time, researchers say that journaling for at least 15 minutes a day three to five times a week can significantly improve your physical and mental health. Some people prefer to write in the morning; others at night. There’s conflicting research over which time of day is better for creativity, productivity, or emotional well-being, which ultimately means that the best time of day to write is the time that suits your own peak hours and the purpose of your journaling. If you’re struggling to journal, you need to maintain some sort of consistency. Set a specific time each day or once a week to journal. You can journal for 20 minutes every Sunday at 9 pm or opt for 5 minutes a day every morning at 8 am. Be specific! The outcome seems to be that you decrease cognitive arousal, and that you decrease rumination and worry. If you decrease those two things, it makes sense that you’re going to fall asleep faster, because having stuff on your mind is one of the main barriers to falling asleep at night.
What are the benefits of journaling before bed?
Sleep journaling can help improve the quality of your sleep. In the hours before going to bed, using a journal can be beneficial to your mental health and wellbeing, allowing you to process your thoughts from the day, preventing you from overthinking and reflecting when you are trying to go to sleep. Journaling before bed should help relieve your stress — not contribute to it — so try not to overthink the practice. “The basics of it are simple,” says Breus. “[It’s about] getting thoughts out of your head so that you can really think through them and process the emotions. Journaling might just be the thing to help you rewire your brain, whether it’s a shift in attitude you seek or you’re trying to reach other life goals. Research even points to health benefits that can result from keeping a journal, such as increased immunity and reduced stress. Writing, like anything, improves with practice. When you journal every day, you’re practicing the art of writing. And if you use a journal to express your thoughts and ideas, it can help improve your communication skills. A journal and a diary are similar in kind but differ in degree. Both are used to keep personal records, but diaries tend to deal with the day to day, more data collection really, and journals with bigger picture reflection/aspiration. Overall, reading a book in bed before going to sleep improved sleep quality. In the intervention group (reading a book in bed), 42% (156 people) felt their sleep quality improved compared to 28% (112 people) in the comparator group (not reading a book in bed), a difference of 14% favouring the intervention group.
How long should you journal before bed?
This is a practical introduction to the habit of nightly journalling — what it is, why you need it, and a step-by-step guide on how to start. 15 minutes, every night, for the rest of your life. It’s the second-best 15 minutes you’ll ever spend in bed. The study found journaling reduced bedtime worry and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality. To try the technique used in the study, set aside 15 minutes each night for writing about a recent positive experience. Write about not only what happened, but also how you felt at the time. Journaling before bed should help relieve your stress — not contribute to it — so try not to overthink the practice. “The basics of it are simple,” says Breus. “[It’s about] getting thoughts out of your head so that you can really think through them and process the emotions. Morning is the optimal time of day for stream-of-consciousness daily practice. Your morning brain is fresh. Write your pages before you fill your head with any outside influences. Writing in a journal a few times a week, such as every other day or 3-4 times per week, is often an ideal amount for most people. Journals are very personal and done entirely for oneself. So, no one, besides yourself, can know how often you should write in your journal. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you should stop using electronic devices, like your cellphone, at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Instead, grab the book that’s been tucked away in your nightstand and start reading before bed.
Is it better to journal before bed or in the morning?
Studies show it’s better to journal at night because it gives you an outlet for emotions and thoughts that might otherwise keep you awake. Even though there is sound scientific research to support the idea that journaling at night is better, many people prefer to journal in the morning. Some people prefer to write in the morning; others at night. There’s conflicting research over which time of day is better for creativity, productivity, or emotional well-being, which ultimately means that the best time of day to write is the time that suits your own peak hours and the purpose of your journaling. Journaling via an online blog or through an app can be just as helpful. This carries similar benefits to traditional journaling by triggering a dopamine release, a chemical that helps regulate emotional responses and improve mood. Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by: Helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them. Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and … Journaling also helps people hone their focus so that they think about only one thing at a time. When you write your thoughts by hand, you can only write one word at a time. Your thoughts slow down to match your writing speed and you’ll find that it’s easier to slip out of your overthinking mindset. The Sleep Council say ‘39% of people who are in the habit of reading before they go to sleep, sleep very well’. It makes perfect sense that an activity that reduces stress is beneficial before bed. Reading is also a better alternative to watching TV or scrolling through your phone.
What are the negative effects of journaling?
Stosny believes that journaling can take a negative turn when it wallows in the unpleasant things that have happened to you, makes you a passive observer in your life, makes you self-obsessed, becomes a vehicle of blame instead of solutions, and makes you live too much in your head. Like meditation, journal writing helps to clear the mind by transcribing emotional clutter onto the written page. The writer becomes a witness to his or her past behaviors which then paves the way for fresh thought and perspective. Journaling provides a forum that can be both cathartic and revelatory. Writing, like anything, improves with practice. When you journal every day, you’re practicing the art of writing. And if you use a journal to express your thoughts and ideas, it can help improve your communication skills. I’m going to share my process for what I call “deep journaling” — which is a structured way to confront difficult emotions on the page. it’s a process I’ve been using for many years to work through deep and dark things. it’s painful and clarifying, like a bitter tonic. Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing.
Is it OK to journal in bed?
Studies have shown that the emotional release that comes from keeping a journal helps to lower anxiety and stress, and even helps you achieve a better night’s sleep. It might also help your physical health. Letting your emotions out can reduce stress, which can boost your immune system — as long as you then process your emotions. In a study, researchers found that those with various medical conditions and anxiety who wrote online for 15 minutes three days a week over a 12-week period had increased feelings of well-being and fewer depressive symptoms after one month. Their mental well-being continued to improve during the 12 weeks of journaling. Enhance Your Intelligence Writing has long been connected with the ability to increase your own intelligence and even to improve your IQ. By writing through a journal, you’re actively stimulating your brain, putting thoughts into written form and expanding your vocabulary.
Is it better to journal in the morning or at night?
Studies show it’s better to journal at night because it gives you an outlet for emotions and thoughts that might otherwise keep you awake. Even though there is sound scientific research to support the idea that journaling at night is better, many people prefer to journal in the morning. Studies have shown that the emotional release that comes from keeping a journal helps to lower anxiety and stress, and even helps you achieve a better night’s sleep. Journaling is something that either feels childish or intimidating to most of us, but the incredible benefits we get from it are well-documented. If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably started a journal at some point or kept a diary when you were a kid. Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by: Helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them. Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and … Journaling also helps people hone their focus so that they think about only one thing at a time. When you write your thoughts by hand, you can only write one word at a time. Your thoughts slow down to match your writing speed and you’ll find that it’s easier to slip out of your overthinking mindset. Journaling Is Therapeutic What they found was that when we put our feelings into words, we reduce the response in the amygdala while activating the brains prefrontal region.