11 April 2025 : After lights out, when you head to bed, calling it a day, sometimes, your brain has other plans. From replaying years-old conversations and planning the next day’s to-do list to enjoying a late-night karaoke session, sleep – despite the exhaustion – is the last thing on your mind some nights. The ticking clock breathes down your neck as the day ahead is important, reminding you that you can’t afford to be drowsy and wishing sleep to come faster only makes it more elusive.
So, in case you are looking for some hacks to calm an overactive brain, Dr Charles took to Instagram to share one called cognitive shuffling to sleep easily.
Cognitive shuffle
In his post, Dr Charles reacted to a video of a person who shared that they had been in bed since 10 but were still awake at 3 am, highlighting the challenge of falling asleep.
In response, Dr Charles shared his hack, which he described as ‘the best sleep hack to turn off your overactive brain.’
These are the steps he shared for cognitive shuffle:
- Pick any random word. Dr Charles chose the word cookie to demonstrate an example.
- Now, from the chosen word, for each letter, imagine something that starts with that letter. In this case, C for cup, O for orangutan, and so on.
- Then, pick a new word and do the same.
- Eventually, you will become tired and go to sleep.
Foods/drinks to help with sleep
Looking for food or drinks that can help you sleep better? Herbal teas like chamomile tea, as mentioned by Healthline, help with sleep. Similarly, consuming almonds, kiwi, nuts, and warm milk before bed can work well for sleep problems.
Summary: A doctor reveals a simple sleep trick to quiet an overactive brain and help you fall asleep faster—no meds or gadgets needed.