If you've ever lay wide awake in bed feeling like there's no chance you're going to sleep any time soon, you're not alone. Millions of people suffer from sleepless nights to the point it starts to impact their day too.

There are plenty of tried and true methods designed to help you fall asleep - such as counting sheep or drinking warm milk. However, if these fail, you don't have to give up.

Dr Joe Whittington, an American emergency room doctor, recommends one method above all when he sees patients with sleep problems. He calls it his "number one technique" if sleep is escaping you.

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It's called cognitive shuffling and is quite simple. Dr Joe explained: "It helps take you from insomnia to the somnolent state to help you sleep."

To start, pick a random word - it can be any length and be quite literally anything. Then, in your mind, split it into individual letters and begin thinking of other words that start with those letters.

In Dr Joe's example, he used the word 'rest'. He listed three words that started with the letter 'R' before moving on to words beginning with 'E' and then 'S'.

He said: "When you've exhausted all the letters, pick a new word and keep going. Cognitive shuffling works by easing the brain into a relaxed, sleep-ready state. It's rooted in psychology, and you might be surprised how well it works."

explained further that this approach will "scramble your thoughts" so that your brain can't try to make sense of things. The process might seem like the concept of a high-energy gameshow where you shout out random answers - but .

Cognitive shuffling comes from a method that we've all probably used before without realising. It is suggested that the technique .

to improve how quickly it works over time. Doing this, you'll develop a style that keeps your brain engaged in a neutral, non-stressful way.

If you are regularly struggling with sleep and it is affecting your mental health and day-to-day life, consult a doctor for support and to check for any possible treatment options or underlying medical conditions.