Can’t Get Back to Sleep? Try Cognitive Shuffling
I’ve been struggling with sleep recently; not getting off to sleep, but waking up in the night and lying awake for far too long.
So, I’ve been doing a bit of research and came across something called cognitive shuffling. It’s a simple technique designed to get your brain back into its sleep state.
This is how to do it:
Pick a random word (e.g. WORD), then think of as many unrelated words that start with each letter. For example:
W: window, well, weather, washing machine...
O: orange, octopus, oven, onion...
R: river, rabbit, rain, robot...
D: door, duck, dolphin, doodle...
If you can, try to picture the words as you say them in your mind. Don't rush. Once you've finished your first word, pick another. Rinse and repeat.
This technique seems to trick your mind into a more dreamlike state, helping you drift off again. I've tried it a few times now, and it is helping.
Do you wake up in the middle of the night? If so, what are your top tips for getting back to sleep?
