There’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to drift off after a long day.
Approximately one in three people in the UK regularly suffer from insomnia, as per NHS data. This condition makes it difficult for individuals to fall asleep.
While an occasional restless night is unlikely to cause significant harm, consistent poor sleep can lead to severe health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.
READ MORE: Best way to nap revealed as you can feel ‘fully rested’ quicker than you think
Check out more real life stories here
Apart from avoiding caffeine close to bedtime and limiting screen time, there are also techniques you can use to ‘trick’ your body into falling asleep faster. Dermatologist Dr Scott Walter shared a hack he wishes he had known before his 30s on how to fall asleep quickly a method he describes as a “real game-changer”.
In a TikTok video, Dr Walter said: “I’m a doctor and sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, and I’m going to tell you about the method which was like a light switch moment for me, once I’d learned it.”
He clarified that his trick doesn’t involve “something like taking melatonin”, a man-made version of the hormone that induces sleepiness, “or other supplements”. It also “doesn’t involve taking a hot shower before bed or even reading,” he added.
The doctor suggested a “simple mental exercise” known as “cognitive shuffling”, which is a method to “way to rearrange or reorganise your thoughts”, likening it to shuffling a deck of cards. The aim is to divert “your mind from conscious thought patterns” that might be keeping you awake, and there are several ways to do this.
Dr Walter first recommended: “Just thinking of random words objects that have nothing to do with each other, for example cow, leaf, sandwich.” He suggests repeating them in your mind until you fall asleep.
If coming up with random words is too taxing, there’s an alternative method. “First, pick a letter of the alphabet, two, you start counting your heartbeat, then every eight beats you think of a word that begins with that letter,” Dr Walter explained.
The health expert claims this technique works because it not only distracts your brain but also simulates what are known as “micro dreams” that we experience when we’re starting to fall asleep. So when you initiate this, you’re signalling to your brain that it’s ‘safe’ to fall asleep.
Want all the biggest Lifestyle news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Hot Topics newsletter.