Cognitive shuffling: How the sleeping technique can trick your brain out

In the cognitive shuffling, you take advantage of exactly what is often prevented from falling away for better sleep: your restless thoughts.

You have probably already experienced how annoying the constant head cinema can be at night. No matter how tired you are, your thoughts just don’t find peace and keep you awake for hours. Often you try to suppress the annoying circles of thought. This usually causes only more stress and falling asleep is even more difficult.

What if you didn’t have to suppress your active thoughts, but could use it to fall asleep? This is exactly what happens in cognitive shuffling, a sleeping technique that shows your restless brain, so to speak by playfully busy with cognitive pictures. We explain what is behind the technology and why you should definitely try it out to sleep.

What is cognitive shuffling?

Cognitive shuffling, ie “mixing cognitive”, is a technique that is supposed to help with restless thoughts. The technology was invented 15 years ago by the Canadian cognitive scientist Dr. Luc Beaudoin from the Simon Fraser University.

If brooding keep you awake at night, the prefontal cortex is still particularly active. Exactly this area in the brain is to be stimulated by the cognitive shuffling, Geo writes. The mental mixing technique works like this:

1. You choose any word, for example “flower”.
2. Then you think of as many new words as possible for every letter. For example “bee”, “blue” or “floor” to “B”.
3. You mentally link each new word with a suitable picture and keep it in your head for a few seconds.
4. Then continue to the next word. And so forth.

The more boring and neutral the words, the better, it also says in a report from N-TV. This starts your mind between associations and memories to jump back and forth, similar to the condition when you dream. Because you are constantly thinking about something else, your head cannot sink into brooding about details. GEO writes that according to science, this technique is particularly suitable for people who ponder a lot of people at night, for example very perfectionist -ayed people.

Successes are measurable

According to Geo, successes with cognitive shuffling could be scientifically proven in smaller attempts. With this technique, so -called “rumination” (brooding) can be reliably stopped. Those who are only awake because of this will most likely be able to sleep better.

Scientists: Inside, note that cognitive shuffling is so effective because it resembles the natural sleep process. N-TV refers to a recent statement by the inventor:

• People have so-called “micro-dreams” when falling asleep. The brain jumps between incoherent images and associations.
• The cognitive shuffling mends this process.
• This signals your brain that it is now time to fall asleep.

Tips for cognitive shuffling

Sleep coach Melanie Pesendorfer still gives some helpful tips for those who want to try cognitive shuffling:

• Stay completely relaxed and don’t put pressure on yourself. This method should let you come to rest. With pressure and the idea that you have to do it at all costs, you can achieve the opposite here. Instead, go to the matter easily and tell yourself: I just try it out, all for fun. If it works, that’s great and if not, there are enough other things that I can try.
• It is best to choose words that do not trigger a strong emotional reaction in you. If that doesn’t work, it is not too hard for you. Just continue to the next word and over time your emotions eve off on their own.
• If a term or picture triggers something negative in it, just go on to the next.

Tip: The inventor of the technology even created his own app, in which you are instructed in all important things about cognitive shuffling. If you like to use apps for your routines, the MySleepbutton app could be worth a look for you.

Does the cognitive shuffling technique work for everyone?

Cognitive shuffling promises quick success when falling asleep. Geo also notes that this technology does not work for everyone. If your insomnia has other causes, it is quite possible that pure relaxation techniques will not work. For example, if you have a medical sleep disorder. So let longer and extreme sleep problems always be clarified by a doctor, because lack of sleep can quickly become dangerous.

If cognitive shuffling does not work for you, you can also try out other tricks:

• Better fall asleep: these 6 tips can help
• Monkey Mind: This stops the carousel of thought when falling asleep
• Meditation to fall asleep: This is how it works
• Problems falling asleep? Sleep expert recommends simple trick

Read more on utopia.de:

• Melatonin: Does intake really help you fall asleep?
• Natural sleeping pills: these 4 help you fall asleep
• Tired and still wide awake? 3 psycho-tips to fall asleep

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