Boredom Therapy: The Science-Backed Way to Fall Back Asleep Fast
Step-by-Step Method to Fall Back Asleep
1. Pick a Low-Stimulation Mental Task
- Choose a simple, structured, repetitive task that isn’t emotionally engaging.
- Avoid anything stressful or exciting.
2. Engage Your Mind Just Enough
- The task should require slight concentration but minimal effort.
- If your mind drifts, gently bring it back to the task.
3. Repeat Until Sleep Returns
- Continue the task passively until you naturally doze off.
10 Low-Stimulation Mental Tasks to Fall Back Asleep
- Counting Backwards – Start from 500, count down by 3s or 5s (e.g., 500, 497, 494…).
- Replaying Your Day in Reverse – Mentally retrace your day from bedtime backwards.
- Alphabet Games – List animals, countries, or foods alphabetically.
- Visualizing a Familiar Walk – Mentally walk through a park, home, or street.
- Silent Word Association – Pick a word, think of another related word, and continue.
- Naming Objects in a Room – List every item in a specific room.
- Recounting a Simple Story – Replay a short story, fairytale, or memory.
- Breathing with Numbers – Inhale for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four.
- Soft Mental Math – Multiply small numbers or add random digits (e.g., 23+57, then 80+34…).
- Imagining a Calm Scene – Describe a peaceful beach, forest, or cabin in your mind.
The Science: Cognitive Distraction
Cognitive distraction shifts your focus away from anxious or racing thoughts by engaging your brain in a neutral activity. This prevents wakefulness caused by overthinking and helps ease you back into sleep. When you wake up at night, your brain is prone to hyperactivity.
Boredom therapy works by giving it just enough focus to avoid stress without fully waking you up.
Dr. Allison Harvey (University of California, Berkeley) also highlights how cognitive approaches help prevent sleep disturbances.
Watch her breakdown on sleep improvement:
Train Your Brain to Sleep
Overthinking keeps you awake. Controlled distraction resets your brain. Try one of these techniques tonight—see which works best for you.
