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Offload To-Dos at Bedtime

Defuse concerns that can disturb your slumber

By

Staying Sharp

Updated August 28, 2023

Updated August 28, 2023

A close-up view of a woman's hand writing

Mladen Zivkovic/Getty Images

Quick Win

Worries often pop up just when you’re trying to wind down. Jotting down thoughts and to-dos may help your mind settle.

Try This Today

Prep your worry pad. Put a notebook and a pencil by your bed. (Avoid using your phone or computer, as the light can hamper sleep.)
Be action-oriented. If you’re stressed about an upcoming event or trip, write down all the steps you can take to prepare.
Revisit. Look at your list in the morning. Is there anything you can take care of immediately? Transfer other to-dos to sticky notes and leave them where you will see them. Knock out as many as you can.

Why

Making a to-do list may help you mentally offload worries and responsibilities before bedtime, thereby reducing stress and paving the way for sound slumber, suggests a study of 57 adults ages 18–30 reported in 2017 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. In the study, the more thorough and specific the to-do lists were, the faster participants fell asleep.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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