A Simple Yet Effective Trick That’ll Help You Fall Asleep Faster Than a Tired Toddler

Having trouble falling asleep can really be annoying. And considering that around 30% to 35% of adults experience insomnia-like symptoms, this is a serious problem that is quite common. Luckily, Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin, a professor of cognitive science at Simon Fraser University, may have just found an easy and quick fix that can help people fall asleep faster than a baby.

We at Bright Side were very intrigued by this unorthodox — and apparently highly effective — method, and we’re hopeful that it’ll help our readers get that much-needed shut-eye in a jiff.

The “Cognitive Shuffle”

Dr. Luc has named his method the “Cognitive Shuffle,” which refers to a technique that involves imagining random objects that are easy to visualize. As Dr. Luc puts it, the method scrambles your thoughts to keep your mind from thinking of the issues that prevent you from falling asleep.

Given that thinking of such random and easy-to-visualize objects is not easy, Dr. Luc recommends using his “MySleepButton” app, which he particularly designed to help people make the most out of his method. The app helps select the list of words for you, and all you need to do is imagine the words it tells you.

Let your imagination bring you to sleep.

If you’re reluctant to use the app to fall asleep, you can also use the method on your own. The best way to do it is to think of a random and emotionally neutral word that has at least 5 letters, like “asleep,” and spell your way through the word by imagining objects that begin with each letter. For example:

• Astronaut
• Sheep
• Lion
• Elf
• Elephant
• Pen

However, make sure not to think of any words that provoke stressful or negative emotions. And if you’ve made it to the end of the word without falling asleep, simply repeat the same method on a different word.

Putting the method to the test

To make sure that the method works, SFU University tried it out on 154 students who complained about their sleeping patterns. The participants tried the method, and the results proved that their cognitive sleeping abilities improved greatly. Not only did they fall asleep faster, but the participants also recorded improved sleep quality as well.

Furthermore, Dr. Luc also received plenty of positive feedback about the “MySleepButton” app as well, with many people sharing their vivid satisfaction with the effectiveness of the app.

Do you frequently have trouble falling asleep? Would you try out this harmless method? Let us know if you practice any similar methods to help you fall asleep faster at night.