Services > CBT for insomnia

CBT-I overview

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is often structured as a 6-week treatment program that can help people who have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or find that sleep is unrefreshing. CBT-I is scientifically proven, highly effective, and does not rely on medications. CBT-I has life-long benefits and most participants report improved sleep satisfaction.

The success of CBT-I is based on a central theme: insomnia can only be treated by addressing all of the underlying causes. In most instances, the causes of insomnia are thoughts (cognitions) and behaviors (habits) which are learned and can be unlearned. Some examples include:

• Negative, distorted thoughts and beliefs about insomnia

• Feelings of loss of control over sleep

• Inadequate exercise or exposure to sunlight

• Going to bed too early or sleeping too late

• Trying to control sleep rather than letting it happen

• Negative responses to stress;

• Lying awake in bed, frustrated and tense

Who will benefit from CBT-I

CBT-I can help anyone with insomnia, no matter how long they have had it or what causes it. This individualized program will address the specific goals you have related to your insomnia. For some, this may mean falling asleep more easily, sleeping through the night, sleeping without the use of pills, or improving daytime fatigue. The program can also help young children who are resistant to bedtime, adolescents or adults who stay up late and sleep in, or people with recurrent nightmares.

CBT-I is well regarded across the sleep community for its effectiveness in treating insomnia without using medication. Many individuals who participate in this type of treatment report improved mood, falling asleep faster, and sleeping better for longer.

What to expect

CBT-I guides patients through a 6 to 8 week treatment program to address changes in sleep-related behaviors. The focus is on addressing factors that contribute to the persistence of insomnia including, conditioned arousal,  habits that were developed in an effort to improve sleep but have become ineffective, and sleep-related worry. Instead of "trying hard to sleep” individuals are encouraged to allow sleep to happen. The majority of patients respond to this treatment fairly quickly

CBT-I components

• Education on normal sleep and the factors that affect sleep quality and quantity

• Identifying triggers of insomnia as well as ways that these can be defused

• Review of the circadian rhythm and homeostatic sleep drive and how these impact sleep

• Overview of sleeping pills and how tolerance reduces their effectiveness

• Developing healthy and effective sleep behaviors

• Learning skills to calm the mind and manage stress

• Individualized sleep-wake schedule program

• Eliminating thoughts, behaviors, and feelings that compromise sleep

• Coping strategies to respond to sleep loss and preserve daytime function