'I'm a doctor and this shuffling method will help you fall asleep in seconds'

We all deserve a good night's sleep after a long day, but sometimes our bodies just won't cooperate.

Thankfully, the internet has provided us with access to doctors' advice whenever we need it. Insomnia affects many people, with the stating that one in three individuals suffer from it.

We've all heard the standard advice - avoid screens before bed, use pillow mist, or even listen to relaxing beach sounds. Dr Scott Walter has taken to TikTok to share his own advice, which he captioned: "say goodbye to the Sunday Scaries and fall asleep quickly with this doctor approved sleep hack".

Scott describes this as a total 'game changer' and wishes he'd known about it before he reached his 30s. He stated: "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 continued: "It doesn't involve taking melatonin or other supplements, it doesn't involve taking a hot shower before bed, or even reading. It's a simple mental exercise we call cognitive shuffling."

The doctor suggests thinking of a random word, for example, cow, leaf, sandwich, butter, liver, and repeating it over and over again in your head. "Just random things that make no sense," he suggests.

Another way to try and fall asleep quickly is to pick a letter from the alphabet. "Then count your heartbeat. On every eight beats, you think of a word that begins with that letter," he explained.

How does it work?

"In addition to distracting your brain, cognitive shuffling mimics what are called 'micro dreams', which occur during the transition of sleep. So it lets your brain know 'hey, it's safe to sleep now.'".

One person shared their trick: "I found something easier. You go through the alphabet & for each letter you think of a place, a fruit, & a drink that begins with that letter. I rarely make it past E."

Another revealed: "I pick a category and then go A-Z trying to think of words that fit. I am moderately claustrophobic and I fall asleep during MRIs now."

A third disclosed: "I try to continue the dream I woke up from the night before ...and how it may unfold ... and before u know it, I'm out."

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