It’s 11:12 p.m., the house is quiet, and your mind is replaying the same three worries on loop. You curl up with a notebook, set a ten-minute timer, and let the pen move. Ten minutes later the loop has loosened, there’s a concrete small task on tomorrow’s list, and sleep arrives more easily. That is the shape of Night Pages: a short, gentle journaling ritual designed to clear the mind, settle the body, and cue rest.
Why this works
Night Pages is brief and intentional, aimed at interrupting rumination and moving scattered thoughts into a tidy place before bed. It pairs simple structure with somatic grounding so your nervous system receives a clear signal: the day is contained, worries are noted, and rest is allowed. The practice is low-effort, adaptable, and safe to use most nights.
10-minute Night Pages template
Breathe for one minute: inhale for 4, hold 1, exhale 6.
Stream 3 minutes of “brain dump”: write whatever comes to mind without editing.
One-sentence closure (1 minute): summarize the brain dump in one sentence.
Action list (2 minutes): write 1–3 tiny tasks you can do tomorrow to ease the biggest worry.
Gratitude anchor (1 minute): list one small thing from today you’re grateful for.
Soothing intention (1 minute): write a short phrase to carry into sleep (example: “I will rest and restore”).
Use a timer and a pen you enjoy. If five minutes is all you have, do step 1, a 2-minute brain dump, and the one-sentence closure.
Micro-practices to pair with writing
Place a warmed lavender sachet or a cup of herbal tea nearby to signal comfort.
After step 1, do a 60-second body scan: notice feet, calves, thighs, belly, chest, shoulders, neck. Relax each area as you breathe.
If thoughts feel overwhelming, write them as third-person observations (“My mind notices fear about X”) to create psychological distance.
A brief example story
One reader, exhausted from a week of heavy caregiving, used Night Pages three nights in a row. She wrote down vivid worries, then listed two tiny tasks — "set alarm for 7:15" and "email clinic for refill" — which shifted the sense of urgency into actionable items. By night three she reported falling asleep faster and waking with less pressured thinking, not because the problems vanished but because they were no longer looping in the dark.
Safety and pacing notes
This practice is supportive but not a substitute for professional care. If writing brings up intense memories or strong distress, pause and consider speaking with a clinician.
Use the one-sentence closure as an exit strategy when a prompt feels too heavy; keep the emphasis on small, manageable steps.
Night Pages is about containment, not excavation—avoid deep trauma processing at bedtime.
Variations and progression
Quick reset (5 minutes): breathe, 2-minute brain dump, one tiny task.
Deep settle (20–30 minutes): add a 10-minute reflective prompt (e.g., “Where did I feel most alive today?”) and a longer body scan.
Shared Night Pages: swap only the gratitude anchor with a partner or housemate to cultivate connection without burdening sleep time.
Tonight: set a ten-minute timer, follow the Night Pages template, and notice one small shift in how your body or mind feels afterward. If you try it and feel comfortable sharing, post a short note about what changed or what made the practice easier for you—your experience might gently encourage someone else.