Say goodbye to nighttime anxiety: This new sleep hack won’t make you count sheep

You’re not the only one struggling to find a good night’s sleep. It is believed that between 50 and 70 million Americans have trouble sleeping well. It may not seem like a big deal, but over time, not getting enough restorative sleep can put you at greater risk for a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. It can also make managing your emotions more difficult.
You’ve probably tried the top sleep tips, from drinking Sleepy Girl mocktails to using sleep techniques and breathing techniques. By now, you may not have heard of the Cognitive Shuffling method. Let’s dig into what it is, whether it works, and what people are saying about it.
For more sleep tips, see What foods you should eat before bed, how to stop waking up to pee when you’re supposed to be sleeping, and why you might want to try the Scandinavian sleep method.
What is cognitive shuffling?
Counting sheep was once all the rage. Through social media platforms like TikTok, you can get newer sleep tips. One method that is growing in popularity is the sleep cognitive shuffle.
Read more: Fall asleep quickly with this proven 5-minute trick
Cognitive Shuffling is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy developed by Luc P. Beaudoin, Ph.D. in cognitive science. The goal is to disrupt your thought patterns and help you relax by focusing on a single word, phrase, or image. Focusing on random things distracts your attention from things that may be causing anxiety or stress, which can disrupt your ability to fall asleep.
How to Try Cognitive Shuffling for Yourself
After you go to bed, turn off the lights, relax and focus on a single word that is at least five letters long and has no emotional value to you. To demonstrate, you can imagine a float. Next, you’ll find words that start with each letter of that word. Starting with “B,” you can make a bottle, a basin, or a bobcat.
As you think about the words, you want to slowly spell out each word as you imagine it. This is an ideal way to reset your mind, taking all attention away from things that make you anxious while giving you calm reflection.
Another method to try is to lead with random thoughts. Instead of focusing on a single word or phrase, let your mind wander and create images using random words such as cow, sandwich, light, etc. Finally, you can think of a single word while focusing on your heartbeat. For example, on the eighth beat, think of another word that starts with the same letter. So if your word of choice is bread, focus on another word that starts with “B,” such as Bronco. The key here is to keep things random.
Read more: Fall asleep in 10 minutes or less with this meditation method
What Others Say About Cognitive Shuffling
People who experience sleep problems and try cognitive shuffling have found successful results. One Reddit user said it was the only thing that worked for them; the exercise distracted their brain enough to put them to sleep.
Denver dermatologist Dr. Scott Walker posted on TikTok that the cognitive shakeout was a turning point for him. He equates the practice to rearranging thoughts in his mind, similar to shuffling a deck of cards. Doctors note that in addition to distracting you, it can also produce microdreams, which occur when you fall asleep. This exercise will give your brain the green light to enter sleep mode.
Bottom line: Stop counting sheep
Having trouble falling asleep may be more common than you think. One of the best ways to relax your brain to sleep is to try a cognitive shuffle. It allows your brain to focus on random objects and letters, triggering a microdream-like process that helps your brain transition to sleep. It works well with doctors and others, so give it a try and see if it helps you fall asleep faster.