Gratitude Journaling for Sleep: How Writing Can Calm Your Mind and Improve Rest. Part 2

Ever feel like your mind is a live goose trapped in a box?

Flapping, frantic, impossible to quiet. Thoughts bouncing from grocery lists to appointments, things you need to cook, emails you haven’t sent, or decisions you need to make. It’s just before bed, and suddenly your brain decides it’s the perfect time to run a full marathon of tasks and worries.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone — and unfortunately, no one teaches geese to be quiet at bedtime. And apparently, our brains aren’t much better.

This is exactly why so many people Google, “Does journaling help with sleep?”

The good news? Journaling can calm that mental chaos and make rest possible.

Racing Thoughts and the Power of Writing Them Down

Miriam’s Story

Miriam, a mother of two, had been working hard on her bedtime routine for weeks. She was making progress… until one night, just as she was about to drift off, her mind exploded with tasks for an upcoming vacation.

Her heart raced like a drum, her chest felt tight, and she could practically hear the little mice of her thoughts running in circles inside her skull. And you know that feeling when you just want to throw the mice out the window? That was her.

“I can’t turn it off,” she said over Zoom, her voice trembling.

I suggested she grab a pen and paper and write down everything she needed to do tomorrow. No judgment, no fancy format, just let it out.

As the pen scratched across the paper, her chest slowly eased, the mice quieted, and her brain finally gave itself permission to rest. That night, she slept.

Nathalie’s Story

Nathalie, a busy mother with a large family, faced a familiar but intense problem before her daughter’s wedding. At 3 a.m., she’d wake suddenly, heart pounding, mind spinning. She was thinking about:

• Picking up fresh flowers for the bridesmaids’ hair

• Double-checking that the guest list was updated

• Mentally running through every tiny wedding detail

By day, these tasks felt manageable. At night? Each small thing felt like a huge disaster. Her shoulders tensed, her stomach churned, and she tossed and turned, trying to control everything.

I suggested she keep a notepad next to her bed and write down every task, worry, and thought before trying to sleep. Seeing it on paper allowed her mind to finally step back. Writing it down said to her brain: “I’ve got this. You can rest now.”

That simple act helped Nathalie sleep through the night — for the first time in weeks.

Why Writing Works

Physically writing things down signals to your brain: “I won’t forget this; it’s taken care of.” It’s like telling your mind: “Okay, I’ve done my part. Now it’s time to rest.” The act of writing is calming, processes stress, and helps the nervous system relax.

Statistic: A 2020 Sleep Foundation survey found that just five minutes of journaling before bed helps people fall asleep faster, and research in the Journal of Positive Psychology shows that journaling can reduce stress and improve sleep quality by up to 27%.

Gratitude Journaling: A Second Layer of Calm

Once we’ve emptied our minds of tomorrow’s chaos, we can fill our hearts with what’s good in our lives. This is where gratitude journaling comes in. It’s not just about feeling good — it’s about rewiring your brain for calm, lowering cortisol, and encouraging restorative sleep.

Simple Gratitude Prompts to Try Tonight:

• 3 + 1 New – Write three things you’re grateful for, and add one you’ve never thanked before. Even something small counts: “The perfectly melted cheese on my sandwich” or something meaningful: “My patience when talking to my teen today.”

• Future Gratitude – Write one or two things you’re grateful for as if they’ve already happened. Example: “I’m grateful I slept peacefully tonight.” Your brain starts expecting positive outcomes.

• People-Focused Gratitude – Pick one person and write why you appreciate them. Boosting oxytocin naturally calms your nervous system.

  
  

Pro Tip: Gratitude journaling is more than a feel-good exercise. Focusing on positive experiences shifts your nervous system from stress mode to calm mode, increasing serotonin and melatonin — two key chemicals that help you fall and stay asleep.

Why Gratitude Changes Your Day, Too

Once you enter a gratitude mindset at night, it doesn’t just help at bedtime. Your brain starts noticing good things throughout the day — little moments of joy, kindness, and simple conveniences you might otherwise overlook. Suddenly, even a stressful day feels more manageable, and your mindset shifts to calm, awareness, and presence.

Connecting to Previous Work

Yesterday, we talked about journaling to process racing thoughts and the inner child. That kind of journaling can be a fast way to calm your mind and tackle sleep issues. You can read that here: Journaling for Sleep: How One Mother Found Rest and Released Buried Stress.

Gratitude journaling adds another layer: actively focusing on the good, ending your day on a peaceful note, and signaling to your mind and body that it’s safe to rest.

Your Challenge Tonight

Take out a notebook tonight and try this simple exercise:

• Write three things you’re grateful for, plus one thing you’ve never thanked before.

• Feel your chest relax, your mind slow, and your nervous system recognize that the day is done.

Once you’re in this gratitude mode, carry it into tomorrow. Look for the little joys you might usually overlook. You might be surprised at how much your perspective — and your sleep — can change.

Need guidance? If you’d like help creating a bedtime journaling routine or processing the thoughts and feelings keeping you awake, book a complimentary call with me here.

Remember: the simple act of writing — whether it’s a to-do list, an emotional brain dump, or gratitude — can quiet a racing mind and help you sleep. What is one thing today you’ve never thanked for before? Take a moment tonight to write it down and see how it changes your mind, body, and rest.