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Insomnia

Why can't I sleep? Do you often find yourself tossing and turning at night? Not being able to fall asleep right away and worrying about all the different things. You feel tired the next day and aren't able to concentrate fully while you're at work or at school. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. With insomnia, you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good-quality sleep. This happens even if you have the time and the right environment to sleep well. Insomnia can get in the way of your daily activities and may make you feel sleepy during the day. 

Short-term Insomnia may be caused by stress or changes in your schedule or environment. It can last for a few days or weeks. Chronic long-term insomnia occurs 3 or more nights a week, lasts more than 3 months, and cannot be fully explained by another health problem. Living with insomnia can be challenging. Fortunately, effective treatments are available that can help people fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and feel more rested during the day. 

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Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I or CBTI) is a short, structured, and evidence-based approach to combating the frustrating symptoms of insomnia.     

Sleeping with Eye Mask

What can I do to sleep better? 

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia focuses on exploring the connection between the way we think, the things we do, and how we sleep. We work to identify thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are contributing to the symptoms of insomnia.

 

Thoughts and feelings about sleep are examined and tested to see if they’re accurate, while behaviors are examined to determine if they promote sleep. 

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Treatment often takes from 6-8 sessions, although the length may differ depending on a person’s needs. 

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CBT-I is often called a multi-component treatment because it combines several different approaches. Sessions may include cognitive, behavioral, and educational components.

  • Cognitive interventions: Cognitive restructuring attempts to change inaccurate or unhelpful thoughts about sleep.

  • Behavioral interventions: Relaxation training, stimulus control, and sleep restriction promote relaxation and help to establish healthy sleep habits.

  • Psychoeducational interventions: Providing information about the connection between thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and sleep is central to CBT-I.

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