Five minute ‘cognitive shuffle’ sleep hack that can help you drift off

If getting a better night's kip was one of your New Year's resolutions for 2024 then you're in luck as one sleep expert has shared a nifty little trick that can help you drift right off.

Whether you're a serial toss and turner, often wake up in the middle of the night, or just generally have trouble dozing off - there's nothing worse than waking up groggy and tired after a pretty poor sleep.

So, sleep experts at Mattress Next Day have suggested people try out a simple five-minute exercise and incorporate this 'cognitive shuffle' hack into their daily sleep routine.

I think we can all agree that sleep is great.

Not only is it cosy and comforting, but sleep also has a load of health benefits, including lowering your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease, reducing stress and improving your mood.

So, if you're wanting to kick off 2024 with some proper good shut-eye then listen up.

The 'cognitive shuffle' is basically a five-minute exercise and you don't need anything else other than your noggin.

All you need to do is list random items in your mind that are easy to visualise and are non-threatening.

They also need to be unrelated subject matter so, for example, you could think about toasters, airplanes and your favourite Disney flick.

The idea that this process, albeit it slightly bizarre, should tucker out your whirring brain and help keep your mind off other thoughts preventing you from sleeping.

In turn, the method will hopefully eventually send you off into a deep sleep.

Maria Korneeva / Getty Images

Sounds easy enough!

In other sleep news, if you're feeling the chill this January then you'll be happy to know one sleep expert, Chris Tattersall, has revealed exactly what you need to do to transform your icy bedroom into a snuggly oasis of toastiness.

Chris, who is MD of the UK’s leading natural sleep specialist Woolroom, shared his top tips on how to do just that.

Speaking to Fabulous, the beddy byes aficionado's first tip on the rundown was to 'choose wool bedding'.

Next was to 'choose a heavier duvet' followed by investing in some 'winter pyjamas for winter temperatures'.

Fourth on the list is to 'bring back the hot water bottle', and last, but by no means least, is to pick yourself up some 'warming bed accessories' to really lock in the boudoir heat.

Happy snoozing!

Topics: Sleep, Life, Health, Mental Health, Hacks

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.