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Fall Asleep Faster with the Alphabet Game
11 November 2016
Eden read A Good Night’s Sleep Is Tied to Interruptions, Not Just Hours and learned that a fragmented sleep schedule can be harmful to overall well-being.
Tags: balance, eden read, sleep
You might find this article by the Wall Street Journal interesting if you, like me, have ever had a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep. Because we know that sleep is so important I was intrigued to learn that interrupted sleep is just as harmful as not getting enough hours. However, sleeping through the night is often easier said than done. Stress, projects, travel, or a poorly timed cup of coffee can easily derail your sleep schedule and busy calendars can make it difficult to get back on track.
I learned about playing the Alphabet Game as a way to fall asleep several years ago when I had a particularly tough exam season. I had put myself on what I thought was an efficient study regimen, but I was having a hard time putting the textbooks down and falling asleep at night. Once asleep, I also had a hard time mentally keeping the textbooks down and staying asleep. I found that for me, the key to getting a restful night was shutting off my mental to-do list, and the key to shutting off my mental to-do list was the Alphabet Game.
To play the game, first get ready for bed. (You might try some of these sleep hygiene tips, too.) Once you put away your phone and turn off the lights, choose a category. I like to choose fruits or vegetables, but the categories can be as broad or narrow as you like. Next, find words that fall into your category starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. If your category is animals, the game might go something like this: Aardvark, Bear, Coyote, Dolphin...Elephant, Fox, etc.
Playing can get really difficult once you get to the second half of the alphabet, but that’s a good thing. The game is supposed to make your mind trail off and help you sleep. I have made it to the letter Z once or twice, but considering how often I play the game, I think that’s a pretty good track record. If I am feeling very awake, I will choose a harder category, like restaurants, or places and characters in a TV show. Let me know if you’ve ever tried playing a game to help you fall asleep. I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
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