Any witch will tell you that the tarot is a tool. It can be a well-deserved break after a long day of caring for or thinking about others that allows you to be present with yourself. Even if you’re not a witch, you can take part in this ancient magical practice.
If you’re anything like me, then you need a break most when it’s time to wind down for bed. If I don’t take a moment for myself and quickly go over what I need to do the next day while I’m awake, then I’ll spend hours tossing and turning in bed, unable to shut my mind off.
That’s when using a tarot reading to sleep better comes in. It’s an easy and stress-free way to pause, reflect, and get out my emotions so I can empty out my brain enough to enter dreamland.
Learn more about the benefits of tarot readings and how to pull a tarot spread for sleep the next time you’re trying to fall asleep.
The benefits of tarot readings
There are so many mental health benefits to tarot, including letting your emotions rise up so you can acknowledge and accept them—versus having them stew in the back of your mind as you repress them.
There are many books written on how tarot can be a useful tool for self-care, like one of my favorites by writer Minerva Siegal, called Tarot for Self-Care: How to Use Tarot to Manifest Your Best Self. This book helps you focus on healing yourself as you work with the tarot deck.
A bonus of reflecting on and accepting your emotions is that you free up some brain space to do other things, like falling asleep within 10 minutes and not your usual 30.
Why you should pull tarot cards before bed
Nighttime is a great time to pull tarot because you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of your day and sit with yourself and your thoughts. You can use tarot at night to set an intention for bed, to empty out any lingering stress, or to send good vibes or energy to someone in your life who’s struggling. The best thing about tarot is that there are no limitations to how to use it. Get creative!
A tarot spread for sleep
I spoke with one of my friends and the astrology and tarot card editor at Stylecaster, Roya Backlund, to pull a tarot spread for sleep. Backlund shares instructions for an easy, three-card pull that anyone can do from home before bed:
- Shuffle the deck until it energetically feels time to stop shuffling.
- Pull three cards out of the deck, and lay them face down next to each other in a row.
- Ask yourself: “What did I learn from today?” and turn over the first card. It will reveal your answer.
- Ask yourself: “What is sleep going to heal for me tonight?” and turn over the second card. It will reveal your answer.
- Ask yourself: “How will these lessons serve me tomorrow?” and turn over the third card. It will reveal your answer.
“When you go to sleep, you are letting go of the day and cleansing your spiritual slate for a brand new day tomorrow,” explains Backlund. “As you sleep, your mind processes all the lessons learned throughout the day. By doing this three-card tarot spread before bed each night, you will gain more clarity from your dreams and your subconscious mind will be better prepared to serve you the following day.”
The bottom line on using tarot cards for sleep
Of course, trying tarot for sleep is a fun, unique trick to try to fall asleep. But it’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution. If you’re having chronic sleep issues, then it may be best to work with a physician or therapist to help figure out what’s going on with your sleep patterns.
FAQs
Should you sleep with your tarot cards?
As with anything tarot-related, you should listen to what you’re feeling from the cards energetically. If you pull a card that has super positive connotations, or an intention that you want to sleep about or dream about, then sleeping with the card can be a great idea.
However, some people might find that the energy from tarot decks can be distracting for sleep. If you feel pulled to sleep with a card nearby, go for it. If you’re stirring throughout the night, then remove it and try to fall asleep again.
What are the benefits of daily tarot readings?
The biggest benefit of pulling a tarot spread daily is to take a moment that’s just for yourself. It’s a great time to calm down, pause, and reflect on what happened in the day and what your emotions are telling you. Getting into the routine of pulling tarot is a nice mental check-in that you can get into the habit of doing pretty quickly.
When should you not read tarot spreads?
Sometimes your energy just feels off—and that’s OK. If the idea of pulling a tarot spread stresses you out more than calms you down, then take a break from the cards. You can always pick back up later. The most important thing when working with tarot is to do whatever feels right for you.
Looking to have more witchy fun this season? Check out these sleep spell jar recipes to help you snooze.
