We’ve all had one of those days when it feels like things never stop. One moment you’re clambering out of bed to the sound of your alarm and the next you’re climbing back in, feeling tired to the bone after a day of meetings, chores and general chaos. You can barely keep your eyes open as you remove your make-up, let alone write your night journal.

But just as you lie down and pull the covers close, your mind begins to wake. Suddenly, you’re overwhelmed by a flurry of thoughts. Did you forget to put a charger in your bag for tomorrow? Did you say the wrong thing in the morning catch-up? What are you going to eat for breakfast tomorrow? From random thoughts and surface-level worries to downright terrifying realisations, they’re all there. All hopes of a restful night’s sleep quickly begin to dissipate.  

Struggling with nighttime anxiety isn’t uncommon. A global survey of 13,000 adults published in 2020 found that a combination of worry and stress is the number one reason for poor sleep, and sometimes your mind starts whirring as soon as you stop. But there are techniques you can use to manage any bedtime thought flurries. One, known as ‘cognitive reshuffling’, is a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) trick designed to help redirect your focus.

But what is the cognitive shuffle technique, and how does it work? To find out more about this popular approach, we asked Sammy Margo, sleep expert at Dreams, to explain all. 

Cognitive shuffling is all about distraction. “It’s designed to distract the mind from thoughts that may be preventing someone from falling asleep,” Margo explains.

“It involves engaging in a mental task that is both absorbing enough to reduce anxiety but easy enough to signal to the brain that it is time to rest.”

Distraction works well here because the darkness and isolation we experience when we’re lying in bed at night makes it easier to get stuck in a thought spiral. If you’re struggling with anxiety, it might be caused by the brain overestimating the threat you’re dealing with. In those kinds of situations, trying to work through the worries typically only leads to more anxiety; by distracting your mind, you give your body a chance to relax.  

In order to practise the cognitive shuffle technique, you need to redirect your ‘verbal thinking’. There are two types of thinking – verbal and non-verbal – and verbal thinking refers to the kind of thoughts that come to you in words as opposed to sensory or visual forms. For example: ‘My colleague doesn’t like me’ or ‘I wonder what my dog is thinking right now.’

Cognitive shuffling can be practised in a variety of ways, but one simple example is as follows:

1. Choose a random object – it can be anything at all: a flower, a cow, a lamppost.
2. Visualise the object.
3. Think of another object starting with the letter of your chosen word. If you picked flower, you could move on to fruit or fox.
4. Visualise this object.
5. Repeat.

While this might not seem like a revolutionary approach, it’s based on research conducted by Luc Beaudoin, a cognitive psychologist. “This research suggests that the thoughts that keep people awake are often in the form of verbal thinking,” Margo explains. “This kind of thinking activates the frontal lobe, signalling to the brain that it is not ready for sleep.

“Beaudoin’s research also emphasises the role of visualising images or ‘micro-dreams’, to signal to the brain that it is safe to sleep.”

In short, by shifting your mind away from verbal thoughts to visualisations, you help to signal to your brain that it’s time to switch off and go to sleep. 

Looking for other ways to deal with nighttime anxiety or thought spirals? Alongside cognitive shuffling, Margo recommends giving the following a go:

1. Journaling: “Write down concerns or thoughts before bed to release them from your mind.”
2. Establishing a routine: “Following a consistent bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down.” 
3. Creating a relaxing environment: “Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleep by maintaining a comfortable temperature, reducing noise and dimming lights.” 
4. Limit stimulants: “Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime.” 

Images: Getty