Night-time Brain Dump: Enhancing Sleep and Reducing Anxiety
Who Can Benefit?
Night-time brain dumps are particularly helpful for individuals who struggle with anxiety or experience sleep disturbances. This technique helps organize thoughts and reduce nighttime worrying, leading to a more restful sleep.
How to Create a Night-time To-Do List
- Prepare for the Next Day: Before going to bed, take a few minutes to write down a checklist of tasks and responsibilities for the next day. This helps you clarify what needs to be done and mentally prepare for the day ahead.
- Free Write Your Worries: On the back of the same paper, spend five minutes free-writing any worries or anxieties on your mind. This practice helps externalize your concerns, making them feel more manageable.
- Reflect and Release: After writing, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve written. Then, consciously allow yourself to stop thinking about your worries and the next day’s tasks for the rest of the evening. Remind yourself that you are prepared, and there’s nothing more to solve until morning.
The Science Behind Night-time To-Do Lists
Worrying and planning activate the prefrontal cortex, which can disrupt sleep by keeping your mind engaged. By addressing these activities before bed, you reduce the need to think about them during the night, allowing your brain to relax and facilitating better sleep. This process helps you feel more prepared and in control, decreasing the likelihood of nighttime anxiety.
Reference
Korb, A. (2015). The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. New Harbinger Publications.