CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep 1

A New Cognitive Technique for

Falling Asleep

Luc P. Beaudoin, Ph.D.

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep 2

A New Cognitive Technique for

Falling Asleep It’s Simple and Enjoyable

The Cognitive ShuffleShuffle your thoughts to sleep…

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

• Planning, problem-solving, deciding, worrying • Ruminating, “racing thoughts” regarding

Stressors, concerns, issues, goals • Thinking/worrying about sleep ★Trying hard to fall asleep ★Watching the clock = A vicious cycle

3

What Keeps People Awake?

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

• Counting sheep • Reviewing the day • Avoiding thinking about a problem • Basic meditation

(See Harvey & Payne, 2002)

4

Conventional Strategies Used by Insomniacs

Don’t Work!

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

• Project deadlines! • Layoffs! • Bill payments! • A marital crisis! • Children’s/loved ones’ urgent problems! • Health concerns! • Hot Flashes…

5

How Could Counting Sheep (or the Like) Possibly Compete with

Thinking About ______ ?

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

1. Accept your emotional concerns

2. Vividly imagine diverse items (objects, persons, places, scenes, actions)

6

Enter The Cognitive Shuffle

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

A teddy bear

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ImagineFor Example,

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

A bird

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

A tree

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

A staircase

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

Birthday cake

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

Eye-glasses

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

An airplane

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

A dolphin

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Imagine

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep 15

Z Z ZZ ZZ…

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

1. The DIY method http://cognitiveshuffle.com or

2. mySleepButton® app

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But How Can You Summon Diverse Images?

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

• There are no silver bullets for insomnia • However, it can be combined with

+ Sleep hygiene + Acceptance and commitment + Other validated recommendations

= Super-somnolent solution

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Is the Cognitive Shuffle A Silver Bullet?

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

1. It interferes with the kind of thinking that keeps you awake (“counter-insomnolent”)

2. It’s engaging (productively distracting) 3. It emulates sleep-onset dreaming 4. It becomes a cue for sleep (conditioning) 5. It allows you to control sleep onset

(↑ “self-efficacy”, Bandura’s concept) 6. It’s playfully imaginative and fun

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Why Use the Cognitive Shuffle?

CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep 19

Stop Counting Sheep ↓

Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

Shuffle your thoughts to sleep…

A CogSci Apps Corp. InventionBased on cognitive sciencehttp://mySleepButton.com