Journaling Before Bed: What a To-Do List Study Found

Remembering tomorrow's unfinished tasks is one reason you might reach for a notebook before bed. Write down “send the form” and “check the train time,” and you have a record to return to in the morning.

There is also a small study behind the idea of writing a bedtime to-do list. Its design matters, because it tested a particular task rather than every kind of evening journaling.

What the study compared

In a 2018 paper by Scullin and colleagues, 57 healthy adults aged 18–30 wrote for five minutes before an overnight sleep-lab recording. One group listed tasks for the coming days; the other listed completed activities. The upcoming-task group fell asleep faster on average.

This was a comparison between two writing assignments in a controlled setting. It was not a trial of KindMind, a test of a gratitude routine, or evidence that all emotional writing improves sleep. It also does not tell an individual why they are having difficulty sleeping.

If you want to try a brief list

Keep it about tasks you want to remember. For example:

• Email the signed form to the school.
• Check whether the prescription is ready.
• Ask Sam which train they are taking.

You don't have to solve each task while writing it down. Put the list somewhere you can find it tomorrow. If planning the tasks turns into a long work session, stop and consider an earlier time for the exercise.

This is an optional experiment in your routine, not a treatment recommendation. Notice whether it is useful rather than assuming that a published average predicts your night.

Choose a tool that doesn't add friction

A notebook may be convenient if opening your phone draws you into messages or work. A digital note may be easier to locate in the morning. There is no need to claim that a warm screen setting cancels every effect of using a device at bedtime.

Choose whichever makes it easiest to write briefly and put the task down. You can also keep evening reflection separate from the bedtime list, especially if emotional topics leave you more alert or upset.

A list cannot answer every sleep problem

If difficulty sleeping persists or is affecting your daily life, discuss it with a healthcare professional. You can bring a note of what you have noticed and what you tried. Avoid treating a journal as a way to diagnose the problem or as an obligation to fix it alone.

For a general writing routine, the morning and evening comparison may help you choose a different time.