“The best time to try cognitive shuffling is when your mind won’t stop racing, especially when you’re lying in bed awake for more than 15 to 20 minutes, or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep,” says Dr. Kaylor.
In fact, cognitive shuffling can even be beneficial in a non-sleep context, adds Sultan. It may help alleviate intrusive thoughts during moments of high stress, such as after a grueling day at work or during a stressful event.
If you try cognitive shuffling for four to five nights and still can’t fall asleep, it may not be the right tool for you. “Persistent difficulty falling asleep could point to other issues, such as a sleep disorder or a mental health condition,” says Avigail Lev, PsyD, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Bay Area CBT Center, a cognitive behavioral therapy center in San Francisco,. In this instance, you may need more robust mental health therapies, medication, or a combination of both to see sleep improvements.
If you’ve gone several nights with little or no sleep, seek professional help to address potential underlying issues.