Lack of sleep is a major issue for millions of people around the world. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three people don't get enough sleep, which can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and even death.
Despite the size of the sleeping aids market being approximately $97 billion in the US alone last year, there is a free and accessible tool to support sleep that is massively underused - writing.
WriteWell, the world's first online writing for wellbeing community, in partnership with tutor Kate McBarron, is launching a new booklet titled What Writing Can Do for You: When You Want to Improve Your Sleep to coincide with World Sleep Day on Friday, March 17th, 2023.
The booklet outlines evidence-based ways that writing can help to improve sleep, whether you want to fall asleep more quickly, stay asleep for longer, or feel more refreshed when you wake.
Writing has been used for centuries to support mental health and wellbeing, and now there is a growing body of research that shows how writing can enhance our daily lives. The new sleep booklet includes some of the latest science from experts on the importance of sleep and why it is such an issue for our modern society.
It guides readers through a variety of writing activities and the evidence behind them. It also offers tips and advice for making the most of the writing process.
Kate McBarron, writing for wellbeing practitioner and author of the booklet, said, "Sleep is a big issue for so many of us, but writing really can help. There are various activities you can try, and they're flexible, so you can choose what's most useful to you. My advice is, just give it a go! See what happens."
Download the booklet below.