A nighttime routine is about preparing for ease and unwinding from the day. Also, it’s an essential step in starting the morning in a good mood. With that said, setting aside some time to journal and write to yourself might be the perfect way to wrap up and assess the day.  Journaling, whether using guided prompts or emptying your mind on an empty page, is all about paying attention to your inner self. It’s a form of self-care that has become a staple in many wellness-loving folks’ repertoire. 

Looking for ways to elevate your nighttime routine with simple and meditative writing practices? Then, it might be time to keep your favorite journal, warm beverage, and candle on your bedside table for a nighttime journal session.

Ease Into Your Nighttime Routine With These Journal Prompts

Here are 40 journal prompts to end your day with peaceful thoughts. 

  1. What do you most look forward to at nighttime?
  2.  What environment creates the best sleep?
  3.  When do you feel you have the worst rest? Can you spot any patterns?
  4.  How can you ground yourself in uninterrupted relaxation as you prepare for the evening?
  5.  What are 5 things that make you feel good before bed?
  6.  Do you keep a dream journal? Why or why not?
  7.  What is the wildest dream you can remember having?
  8.  What significance do your dreams have in your life?
  9.  How, if at all, has your relationship with dreaming changed since becoming an adult?
  10.  Are you responsible for anyone else’s nighttime routine?
  11.  How do you distinguish ‘me-time’ from prep time?
  12.  Which scent(s) help you feel most relaxed and ready to sleep? Why?
  13.  Which colors make you feel prepared to drift to sleep? Why?
  14.  Are you sensitive to noise? 
  15.  What are your favorite sounds that immediately make you feel restful?
  16.  When it comes to routines, are you good at keeping them, or are you more sporadic?
  17.  Journal about the best way to end the night in a perfect world
  18.  Write about how you feel right now without attaching any judgment to the emotions
  19.  Journal about the best way to start the morning in a perfect world
  20.  How well-rested do you feel on most days?
  21.  Do you create space for rest throughout your day?
  22.  What has shaped your understanding of what it means to be truly rested?
  23.  Where do you envision the most restful place on Earth to be?
  24.  From that vision, what are the relaxing elements that you could bring into your abode/space?
  25.  Describe how others could contribute to help make your nighttime routine more peaceful
  26.  Where were you this time, 6 months ago? What has changed for the better? 
  27.  Do you find yourself burning out often, or do you have strategies to prevent burnout?
  28.  Write down 4 things that you can do daily to protect you from complete exhaustion
  29.  In what ways do you feel that your career shapes your ideas about being slow/restful?
  30.  In what ways do you think that your health shapes your beliefs about being slow/restful?
  31.  How would you challenge yourself to positively change something this week?
  32.  If you lead an active lifestyle, what are some of the things you enjoy doing?
  33.  What are some songs that belong on your nighttime routine unwind playlist?
  34.  What is a quote/affirmation that reminds you to be in the present moment?
  35.  Are there any comfort foods that have a story behind them?
  36.  What advice would you give to your younger self about self-love?
  37.  What was the best part of your day today?
  38.  What observations did you make about today, and how could you be more fruitful tomorrow?
  39.  Do you find there is a difference between the way you practice self-care in the mornings vs the nighttime?
  40.  What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

With these journal prompts, you can actively work towards a mindful nighttime routine that makes self-learning all the more valuable.