How Writing a To-Do List Before Bed May Help You Sleep Faster

Late at night, many people finally put away their phones only to find their minds racing through tomorrow’s responsibilities.

Unfinished emails, pending appointments, work deadlines, and household chores often become harder to ignore once the lights go out. While this bedtime mental checklist may seem harmless, it can delay sleep.

Research from Baylor University suggests that spending just five minutes writing tomorrow’s tasks before bed may help quiet those lingering thoughts and shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

What the Study Found

The research, titled “The Effects of Bedtime Writing on Difficulty Falling Asleep: A Polysomnographic Study Comparing To-Do Lists and Completed Activity Lists,” was conducted by the Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory at Baylor University under the direction of psychologist Michael K. Scullin.

The study examined whether writing about future tasks or completed activities had a greater effect on falling asleep. A total of 57 healthy young adults participated in a controlled weekday sleep laboratory experiment.

Pexels | Writing down tomorrow’s to-do list before bed quiets a racing mind and helps you fall asleep faster.

Participants followed a fixed bedtime schedule, going to sleep at 10:30 p.m. They were not allowed to use phones, complete homework, or engage in other activities before bed. Throughout the night, researchers monitored their sleep using overnight polysomnography, a clinical method that records brain waves and other physiological signals during sleep.

Before lights out, participants were divided into two groups. One group spent five minutes writing a detailed to-do list covering tasks planned for the following days. The second group spent the same amount of time writing about activities they had already completed.

The results showed a clear pattern. Participants who created a to-do list fell asleep significantly faster than those who documented completed tasks. The study also found that shorter, more specific task lists were linked to even faster sleep onset.

Why Writing Tasks May Calm the Mind

At first glance, writing down unfinished work may appear likely to increase stress. The Baylor research team examined that possibility alongside another explanation.

According to Baylor University’s press release, Michael K. Scullin explained that one theory suggested focusing on future responsibilities could increase worry and delay sleep. The competing theory proposed that writing tasks on paper would “offload” those thoughts, allowing the brain to stop repeatedly processing unfinished responsibilities.

The findings supported the second explanation. Recording upcoming tasks appeared to help participants mentally set those responsibilities aside for the night instead of continuously reviewing them while trying to fall asleep.

Young Adults Report Sleep Difficulties

The study focused on college-aged participants, a group that commonly experiences difficulty falling asleep. National data reflects a similar trend.

According to a 2024 data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, 18.3% of U.S. adults between ages 18 and 34 reported having trouble falling asleep most days or every day. That percentage gradually declined with age, reaching 12.8% among adults aged 65 and older.

Busy work schedules, academic demands, side jobs, digital communication, and packed calendars may contribute to bedtime overthinking among younger adults. As a result, mentally organizing the next day’s responsibilities often becomes part of the nightly routine.

A Helpful Habit, Not a Guaranteed Solution

Although the findings are encouraging, the researchers emphasized that the results should be viewed carefully.

The study included only 57 healthy young adults in a single laboratory setting. It was not designed to represent the entire U.S. population, and participants did not have diagnosed sleep disorders such as insomnia.

Michael K. Scullin noted that future research involving larger groups, along with factors such as personality traits, anxiety, and depression, would provide a better understanding of the results.

Freepik | pvproductions | List-making isn’t a miracle sleep cure for everyone, but it works wonders for overthinkers.

Because of these limitations, the study should not be viewed as proof that bedtime list-making will improve sleep for everyone. Instead, it offers promising evidence that a simple writing exercise may benefit certain individuals experiencing routine bedtime mental activity.

The Baylor findings also align with long-standing sleep advice from the Mayo Clinic.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s sleep guidance, writing down worries or pending responsibilities before bed can help people stop thinking about them while trying to sleep. The recommendation encourages setting those concerns aside until the following day rather than carrying them into bedtime.

The guidance also highlights the importance of healthy sleep habits, including maintaining a consistent bedtime routine, keeping the bedroom dark and quiet, and creating a calm environment that supports quality sleep.

How to Try the Bedtime Exercise

The method used in the Baylor study requires very little preparation. Spend about five minutes before bed writing down tasks planned for the next day or the next several days. The research suggests that writing clear, specific items instead of broad reminders may provide greater benefits.

A paper notebook works well, although a notes app can also be used if screen time is kept brief. Once the list is complete, set it aside and avoid continuing to mentally review unfinished tasks.

Writing tomorrow’s to-do list before bed is not a replacement for medical care or treatment for chronic insomnia. Anyone experiencing ongoing sleep problems should consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation.

Still, the Baylor University study provides laboratory-based evidence that a brief writing exercise may help clear unfinished tasks from the mind before sleep. Combined with healthy bedtime habits recommended by the Mayo Clinic, this simple routine may offer an easy way to reduce nighttime mental clutter and make falling asleep a little easier for some people.