Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy, but 70 million people in the United States alone suffer from chronic sleep problems. Stress, anxiety, illness, and poor diet can all affect sleep quality and quantity. Lifestyle changes may offer relief to some, but other people may find that they’re still too wired to drift off at night. Enter sleep affirmations.

What Are Sleep Affirmations?

Affirmations are positive statements that are repeated frequently (often daily) to replace negative thoughts you may have. When used to aid sleep, bedtime affirmations can calm a racing mind and help set realistic expectations for the coming day. Affirmations are also a form of meditation, which has been shown to help treat insomnia and improve sleep health. According to the Sleep Foundation, improvements in sleep health through mindfulness meditation “may be comparable to effects seen from sleep medication.”

Sleep affirmations are similar to normal affirmations. They can be as simple or complex as you like, and since there’s no one-size-fits-all rule for affirmations, it may take some trial and error before you find what works best for you. Typically, affirmations are short, often as little as two or three words of encouragement like “You’re awesome” and “You can do this.” They can also include simple phrases and recitations that bring you peace.

How Do Sleep Affirmations Work?

Poor sleep begets poor sleep: A disrupted circadian rhythm can mean insomnia at night and exhaustion during working hours. Improving your sleep one night will improve it the next, and so on. Circadian rhythm disorders (and even jet lag and shift work) can impact sleep health and completely throw off your sleep-wake cycle. Stressing about lack of sleep doesn’t help, either. Anxiety about falling asleep can cause digestive problems, an elevated heart rate, and shallow breathing, all of which keep you from falling asleep and getting the rest you need.

Meditation – and by extension, using sleep affirmations – slows down your breathing and heart rate. Both processes are signs that your nervous system (the system responsible for your body’s unconscious physiological responses) has shifted away from its “fight or fight” response. Practicing meditation before bed can also lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

How to Use Sleep Affirmations

Sleep affirmations require regular, often nightly, practice to ensure lasting, long-term changes to the way you think and feel before bed. Affirmations won’t work unless you use them, and it can take several nights before you find a saying that really resonates with you. Don’t speak them aloud; instead, recite them in your mind and focus on the sound of each word as it comes forward.

25 Sleep Affirmations to Say Before Bed

Sleep Affirmations for Confidence

1. I deserve to take a break and listen to my body.
2. I refuse to let worry disturb my sleep.
3. I will fall asleep quickly and easily.
4. I have the skills to make tomorrow amazing.
5. I will wake up well rested and ready to face tomorrow.

Sleep Affirmations for Success

1. I am excited for the new day tomorrow.
2. I am safe and capable.
3. I am happy with the progress I made today.
4. Decisions made today bring me closer to my dream life.
5. I am letting go of today and starting fresh tomorrow.

Sleep Affirmations for Peace of Mind

1. Today is over; tomorrow will be better.
2. I am doing my best and deserve to recharge.
3. I am falling asleep with a clear mind and full heart.
4. I am ready for what tomorrow brings.
5. Stress and worry do not control me.

Sleep Affirmations for Self-Love

1. My body is strong and healthy and deserves to rest.
2. I am making time to care for myself.
3. I love and accept my body and the sleep it provides.
4. I am proud of myself for today.
5. I deserve love, peace, and sleep.

Sleep Affirmations for Gratitude

1. I am ready to have a night of healing and rest.
2. I am thankful for my comfortable bed.
3. With each breath, I move closer to sleep.
4. I am worthy of resting, relaxing, and dreaming.
5. I am safe, I am falling asleep at peace.

The Bottom Line

Sleep shouldn’t feel unreachable at bedtime. We all need to sleep, and bedtime affirmations can help remind your body that the day is done and a new opportunity for a great day is coming in the morning. Your worries are bound to pop up now and again, but using sleep affirmations to calm your thoughts can help you gain a clearer mind ‒ which can be key to falling and staying asleep.

If you’re having trouble managing feelings of anxiety or have insomnia, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider. For those looking for ways to incorporate affirmations into their daily self-care routine, Health Coaches can provide advice and support.