Vol. 34 The silly bedtime game that calms racing thoughts
Quick Challenge: Try to list as many animals as you can, A–Z.
I’ll go first:
C for Cat,
K for Koala,
U for Unicorn,
Z for Zebra…
How many did you get?
Don’t worry, I haven’t suddenly switched Sober Curiosity into a party game club — this email is still about becoming empowered alcohol-free.
The little game I just shared with you is called Cognitive Shuffling.
It’s a mental technique that helps you fall asleep by focusing on random, meaningless thoughts that calm the brain and ease you into rest.
Worrying thoughts are the biggest thief of sleep, especially when you’re first trying to break the nightcap loop. Your brain is used to alcohol’s sedative effect to help shut down the inner chatter, so without it, the noise can feel even louder.
Luckily, Cognitive Shuffling was designed for exactly this purpose — to distract you from racing thoughts by focusing on neutral words and vivid images.
The next time you’re lying in bed thinking, “I’ll never fall asleep without a nightcap,” remember: try picturing everything you’d pack for a trip to Mars instead.
