Sleep diary: what is it and what are its benefits for better sleep?

Writing down our feelings, thoughts, hopes, and dreams has long been considered a powerful way to calm our busy minds. Numerous studies have linked the journal writing with improving the well-being of our mental health, but we often link it to a morning ritual: opening our notebooks and daily to-do lists.

According to a 2018 research review, to write a diary it can contribute to fewer stress-related doctor visits, lower blood pressure, better mood, and greater well-being. While gratitude journals are great, a sleep diary offers real benefits to help us take a deeper nap.

‘He sleep diary It’s about taking a few minutes before you go to bed (or in bed) and letting your mind process what’s happening to you at that moment,’ says Kat Lederle, sleep scientist and body clock expert.

Dr. Ledere insists on the importance of going old school with pen and paper: ‘If you use your cell phone, you are exposing yourself to direct light which will stimulate you. Also, you may be tempted to see other content that will be even more stimulating to you’.

Carley Mellors-Blair, holistic and wellness expert and founder of Altered Health, shares with Glamor why we should all keep a sleep diary.

What is a sleep diary?

‘He sleep diary it is a technique that is used about an hour before or just before going to bed, but basically it is a way of emptying out noise. The noise of the day, the noise of this I have not done, all the things that remain to be done. It can be just thinking about a conversation you’ve had with someone during the day.’

‘He sleep journaling It helps clear your head and prepare for the next day. Instead of going to sleep and thinking about what you have to do for the next day, something beneficial is to write it in a journal’.

What are the benefits of writing a sleep journal?

‘For me, the newspaper has four corners. In the first you can go over your day, almost like a list of what you’ve done, which creates positive reinforcement. The second is gratitude, a way to activate all the beneficial chemicals. If you write a list of things you’re grateful for, you won’t have that negativity when going to sleep and this will also affect the way you wake up.

‘Another corner is self-analysis, which is a soft critical process. Thinking about things you could have done better during the day, and ways you could handle situations better, ends up keeping you from overthinking before bed. And finally, make a wish list. If you could do anything, without time and chance getting in the way, what would you do? Set yourself some goals.

‘carry a sleep diary it increases confidence, benefits the sleep pattern, makes you an easier person to deal with, since you practice reflection, and helps you wake up in a better mood.’

Choose a sleep diary

Be sure to choose a journal with a layout that suits you, either with plenty of white space to let your thoughts drift and areas to doodle, or a journal with guided prompts and different sections for dividing specific thoughts and ideas. After all, the best sleeping diaries they should be tailored to your preferences if you want to write in them every night and enjoy doing so.

Article originally published by Glamor UK, glamormagazine.co.uk, adapted by Paola Zamarripa.