10 Tips to Help You Sleep Faster at Night

9. Try the “Cognitive Shuffling” Technique.

A mental trick to prevent overthinking and calm your mind.

Pick a random word (e.g., “bird”) and think of unrelated words that start with each letter of the word.
For example: B—Ball, I—Ice, R—Rainbow, D—Dolphin.

This technique, known as cognitive shuffling, was developed by Luc Beaudoin, a professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. It helps redirect your focus away from stressful thoughts, allowing you to fall asleep faster. Rather than just counting, the shuffle engages your brain in a fun, more demanding way, which has been shown to help people fall asleep without overanalyzing.