The Effects of Bedtime Writing on Difficulty Falling Asleep: A Polysomnographic Study Comparing To-Do Lists and Completed Activity Lists

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Michael K. Scullin, Baylor University; Madison L. Krueger, Baylor University; Hannah K. Ballard, Baylor University; Natalya Pruett, Baylor University; Donald Bliwise, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-01-01
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xge0000374
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
• ISSN: 0096-3445
• Volume: 147
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 139
• End Page: 146
• Grant/Funding Information: M.K.S. was partially supported by NIH AG053161 and the Sleep Research Society Foundation.
• Keywords: UNFINISHED TASKS; prospection; INTENTIONS; Social Sciences; prospective memory; sleep difficulties; FUTURE; Psychology; MODEL; cognitive arousal; SLEEP; WORRY; RUMINATION; worry; INSOMNIA; Psychology, Experimental
• Research Categories: Psychology, Cognitive

Abstract

Bedtime worry, including worrying about incomplete future tasks, is a significant contributor to difficulty falling asleep. Previous research showed that writing about one's worries can help individuals fall asleep. We investigated whether the temporal focus of bedtime writing-writing a to-do list versus journaling about completed activities-affected sleep onset latency. Fifty-seven healthy young adults (18-30) completed a writing assignment for 5 min prior to overnight polysomnography recording in a controlled sleep laboratory. They were randomly assigned to write about tasks that they needed to remember to complete the next few days (to-do list) or about tasks they had completed the previous few days (completed list). Participants in the to-do list condition fell asleep significantly faster than those in the completed-list condition. The more specifically participants wrote their to-do list, the faster they subsequently fell asleep, whereas the opposite trend was observed when participants wrote about completed activities. Therefore, to facilitate falling asleep, individuals may derive benefit from writing a very specific to-do list for 5 min at bedtime rather than journaling about completed activities. (PsycINFO Database Record