“Using the Strategy of Distraction **doesn’t mean trying to suppress an unwelcome thought, but rather deliberately shifting attention**. When we try to squash a particular thought, we may trigger the “ironic rebound,” so that paradoxically, we think about it all the more. The more I try to avoid thinking about how exhausted I’ll be if I don’t fall asleep, the more insistent this thought becomes, until I’m so agitated that I can’t possibly sleep. **So I don’t try to avoid thinking “I need sleep,” but instead turn my attention to something else**.” --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[attention]], [[mindfulness]] , [[distraction]], **Source** -- [[20240806084000 - B - Better Than Before]]