The Three Journal Prompt That Helps Me to Sleep
I have difficulty falling asleep, and a good night's sleep is hard to come by. Often, I either cannot fall asleep or wake up feeling tired.
Since 2023, I've realized that my sleep issues are more psychological than physical.
After reading Tim Ferris's morning journal habit, he has inspired me to try something similar. Instead of doing it in the morning, I do it just before going to bed.
It serves as a brain dump on paper. Initially, I wrote aimlessly about anything that came to mind, sometimes struggling to find words. This struggle would increase my stress, further affecting my sleep quality.
Just like in life, a bit of constraint is beneficial. I've limited my writing to three journal prompts, which are as follows:
What am I grateful for today? This prompt anchors my overthinking and negativity. On bad days, it forces me to look for the silver lining. If I cannot find any, at least I remind myself that I am grateful to be well and alive to write the journal.
What have I done well today? I tend to be self-absorbed and overly critical of myself, defaulting to anger and often being angry with myself. This prompt helps rewire how I think about myself. It reinforces positivity, encouraging me to continue what's important and stay on track. If I've truly had a bad day, I remind myself that I maintained enough self-control to avoid actions I would regret.
What can I do better tomorrow? This is my favorite prompt. It gives me hope and allows me to plan for the next day, which fills me with excitement. This anticipation is probably why I don't suffer from the Monday morning blues or the reluctance to get out of bed. Knowing my day is planned and exploring ways to have a productive day keeps me motivated.
Here are other tools and experiments that I have tried to sleep better.
Andrew Huberman on Sleep Hygiene
Andrew Huberman's Toolkit to Sleep
Tim Ferris Tools and Tips on Better Sleep
All the tools that Tim Ferris and Andrew Huberman works well. The only thing that I did not try are the supplements. Thus far, journaling every night is the only practice that I consistent do and has helped with my sleep.
Remember, sleep is not optional. Always prepare yourself for a good night sleep so you can have a good day.