A brief description of a simple new technique for falling asleep: "The cognitive shuffle" (SD: Serial Diverse Imagining). It involves imagining diverse, concrete objects, scenes, places, actions or people. Use the "DIY" technique or mySleepButton®. The technique is meant to keep your mind off your concerns, to induce a dreamy state that is in some respects similar to sleep onset, and to be enjoyable. Invented by Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin.

1. CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep 1
A New Cognitive Technique
for
Falling Asleep
Luc P. Beaudoin, Ph.D.

2. 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 Shuffle
Shuffle your thoughts to sleep…

3. 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?

4. 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)
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Conventional Strategies
Used by Insomniacs
Don’t Work!

5. 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 ______ ?

6. 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)
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Enter
The Cognitive Shuffle

7. CogSci Apps Corp. The Cognitive Shuffle: Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep
A teddy bear
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ImagineFor Example,

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A bird
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Imagine

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A tree
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Imagine

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A staircase
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Imagine

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Birthday cake
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Imagine

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Eye-glasses
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Imagine

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An airplane
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Imagine

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A dolphin
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Imagine

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Z
Z
ZZ ZZ…

16. 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?

17. 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?

18. 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?

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Stop Counting Sheep
↓
Shuffle Your Thoughts to Sleep

20. Shuffle your thoughts to sleep…
A CogSci Apps Corp. Invention
Based on cognitive science
http://mySleepButton.com