A healthcare professional shares a simple trick for falling back asleep after waking up at 3am

Waking up in the middle of the night can be really frustrating, especially if you know you need to be up early for work. Tossing and turning seems to stretch on for ages, and by the time you finally doze off again, it feels like the alarm is just minutes away, ready to jolt you awake.

According to some experts, waking around 3am is actually pretty common. Dr. Amir Khan, a well-known doctor who often appears on TV, has offered tips for getting back to sleep during what he refers to as “sad hours.”

In a recent video on Instagram, Dr. Khan pointed out that many people have watched his video about why 3am wake-ups happen, but he received a lot of questions about what to do when you’re wide awake at that hour. He then discussed a technique called cognitive shuffling, which he believes can be beneficial for those struggling with restless nights.

Dr. Khan elaborated on this by saying that when you can’t sleep because your mind is racing with worries—be it about work, finances, or family—it can feel almost impossible to relax. This mental activity can signal to your brain that it’s not safe to sleep, keeping you in a heightened state of alertness.

You might think the old trick of counting sheep is the solution, but Dr. Khan suggests a different approach to help you drift back off.

He explained that cognitive shuffling works by disrupting those anxious thoughts and allowing your brain to feel like it’s safe to sleep again. The method involves starting with a random word. Focus on the first letter of that word and then come up with a list of words that start with it.

As you go through your list, picture each word in your mind. After that, move on to the second letter of your chosen word and repeat the process. If you keep this up, focusing on each letter, hopefully, you’ll find yourself back to sleep in no time.