Insomnia Therapy

insomnia.jpg

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

Insomnia is a common sleep problem that typically occurs during times of stress. Insomnia often resolves on its own after the stressful event ends. However, sometimes insomnia becomes a chronic problem that lasts for months or years. The most commonly recommended treatment for sleep difficulties is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

CBT-I is recommend by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for the treatment of insomnia. Research shows that CBT-I is just as effective as sleep medication in the short-term, and more effective than medication in the long-term. CBT-I addresses the causes of insomnia by first helping to identify the factors causing the problem and then correcting them. CBT-I techniques should be practiced at home every day in order for you to realize long-term improvements in the quality of your sleep.

Goals of CBT-I

  • Reduce the amount of time it takes to fall sleep at night

  • Reduce the amount of time spent awake in the middle of the night

  • Improve the quality of sleep

  • Improve daytime level of alertness and quality of life

  • Provide the knowledge and skills to help manage sleep over the long-term without the need for ongoing professional help or medication

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a directive, results-focused therapy. With this approach, I work with individuals to examine their thoughts and how these thoughts affect their sleep and their lives.