Write yourself to sleep …

While a friend and I were hiking with our kids last week the conversation turned to the fantastical as it often does with children. 

“If you could have a super power, what would it be?” Before I could answer, the little people in our group launched into a discussion about which superpowers are the best and the coolest. One wanted the ability to teleport to any place anytime so that he could visit friends and family on another continent, while the others wanted to be able to freeze time, fly or disappear into thin air. Luckily, the conversation took another turn before I had a chance to pipe in. You see, if I could pick a superpower, it would be to not have to sleep – ever. And on a scale of okay to super cool, not having to sleep seems downright boring to the average 8-year old. And likely to most adults, too.

There never seems to be enough hours in a day to the things I want to do. On my desk and in my mind, lists, half-completed project and ideas for books, paintings, night photography, blogs, languages I want to learn and instruments I like to play all fight for space and my time. If I didn’t have to sleep, I could spend my nights drawing on the stillness of the night to tackle my endless to do list.  

Some people are ‘larks’, who work better in the morning while others are ‘owls’, who bloom at night. And then there are people like me who see sleep as a necessary evil. I call these people ‘dolphins’. ‘Dolphins’ brains are split in two and one half can snooze while the other half stays awake – all the time! Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Journalist and self-admitted insomniac, Sloane Crowley, told the Independent that as far as she’s concerned productivity is a crutch of the weak and that she would rather lie there waiting for sleep “as long as it takes, waiting for the birds and the light and sound of garbage trucks on the street below,” than get up and turn the light on.

I couldn’t disagree with her more. As far as I’m concerned, insomniacs fall into two categories – those who embrace their insomnia and use the extra time to be productive and those who, like Crowley, lie sleepless, tossing for hours waiting for slumber. As a former journalist and TV producer having spent a good 20 years of my life racing to make daily, weekly and monthly deadlines, I welcome the gift of time, even if it is at 4 a.m. I will definitely turn the light on, reach for a notepad or my laptop and embrace the silence and alone time.

That said, I completely understand that most people would much rather sleep than spend hours falling asleep or dealing with middle-of-the-night insomnia. But, whether you’re a night owl, an insomniac or a wanna-be dolphin like me, journaling can help you fall asleep or at the very least, make the best of your insomnia. There are many types of sleep journals, each with a slightly different goal and type of sleeplessness in mind.

Types of sleep journals

1 – Sleep Habits: A simple lined notebook can be used for this type of journal. In it record the time you get up in the morning, the time you turn in. Track your eating and exercise habits as well as anything else that might have an impact on your sleep.  

Your journal entries should include these things:

• The time you went to bed and how long it took you to fall asleep 

• How long and well you slept
• How many times you woke up during the night and how long it took you to fall back asleep (no need to obsessively watch the time, just guesstimate)
• How much caffeine or alcohol you consumed during the day and when
• What and when you ate and drank (when you did those things is especially important)
• What time you turned off the TV and your devices
• What emotions or anxiety you’re feeling

The idea is to do this every day for as long as it takes for you to recognise the habits that make it easier or harder for you to sleep. You may come to find out that your eating and drinking patterns are contributing to your sleeplessness and that simple changes will help tremendously.

2- Mind Decluttering:This is the perfect type of journaling to quiet the chatter in your head. If you’re a “coulda, shoulda, woulda” insomniac, write it all down before bed to detox your mind and then use your notes the next day as your daily plan. Writing helps calm the anxiety and stresses that keep you awake through the night and make you feel like you have a strategy for the next day. Write whatever’s on your mind. There’s no right or wrong. Don’t know where to start? Try these prompts:

• I am thankful for…
• I am sad/angry about… 
• I am worried about… 
• I am proud of… 
• My goal for tomorrow is…

3- Creative Journaling– This is my personal favorite. For those of us who have our best ideas just as we’re falling asleep or wake up in the middle of the night, minds racing. Write them down and seize those ideas before they disappear. Free-form writing, doodles, pasting inspiring images, quotes or ideas from magazine, mind-mapping, anything goes.

4- Dream Journal– Ever have a fantastic, inspiring, over the top dream and think, “I have to remember this one and tell my (partner, friend, colleague) about it,” and then…it’s gone. Dream journals are great for remembering those wonderful, wacky dreams that leave you smiling and inspired before they disappear. According to the Association of the Study of Dreams, dreams can be a road map to changing your life. They’re your brain’s way of working out problems, sorting through the day’s triumphs and disappointments. Carl Jung believed that “a natural guiding tendency is at work in our dreams; a journey of inner growth and transformation, becoming who we are meant to be.” And he wasn’t the only one to believe in the power of dreams.

A lot of famous works of art, think Salvador Dalí’s dream paintings, and novels ranging from “Sophie’s Choice” to works by Anne Rice and Stephen King were inspired by dreams. Paul McCartney claimed he heard Yesterday in a dream and most of Billy Joel’s music is said to have originated in dreams.

4 – To Dos and Priorities – Tossing and turning again? Worried that with all this sleep deprivation you’ll forget half the things you need to do tomorrow? It happens all the time. In the middle of the night, your mind is racing, but when morning comes, you crawl out of bed, bleary-eyed, exhausted and draw a complete blank when you try to remember that super important thing you’re supposed to do today. Next time, make a list of the things you haveto do tomorrow (well, now that’s it’s 2 a.m. that’s actually today, in a few hours). Then assign each one a number in order of importance.  Now make a list of the things you’d like to do tomorrow but don’t absolutely have to do, and finally, draw up a list of the fun things you enjoy doing and of people you really want to see. Then pick the top three – one must do, one would like to do and one fun thing you’ll do or set in motion. The act of prioritizing everything frees your mind.

6 – Affirmations:Just as the simple act of smiling can make you feel better than you actually do and that standing with your arms stretched above your head like a superhero makes you feel stronger and more confident, writing down affirmations, even when you’re not totally “feeling it” will make you feel better, more confident and calmer.  Need ideas? Try these on for size:

• I am happy and grateful for my perfect heath, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This beautiful affirmation comes from my friend Beanie. Remember, the act of saying it or writing it makes it so. 
• I am an excellent friend, artist, writer, sibling, partner, parent, colleague (add or remove any and all that do or don’t apply) and my work, art, writing, support, and insight matter
• I am loved and love back fiercely and unconditionally 
• I am a citizen of the world and my voice and my actions make a difference

Personally, I do a mix of creative and dream journaling with a healthy dose of “coulda-woulda-shoulda” decluttering. Doodling, mind-mapping, word associations, to do lists and jotting down the crazy dreams I have, calms the voices in my head, gives me a blueprint for my next story, scene, drawing or project and lets me put my ideas (and my mind) to rest knowing I can revisit them again later.

Are you a lark, an owl or a wannabe dolphin? What would you do with the extra time if you didn’t have to sleep? Have you tried writing yourself to sleep? How’d it go?