Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
"You look tired…is everything ok?"
The dreaded question no one wants to be asked. It can feel unavoidable if you suffer from chronic insomnia. Insomnia is not just a matter of losing sleep. You lose focus on projects that matter to you, you lose the ability to manage your mood, and you lose time with family and friends because you are simply too tired. Recalibrating your sleep schedule and improving the quality of your sleep is my main focus at Sleep Psychology of California. For over 18 years, I've helped clients in California and Virginia redefine their relationship with sleep and guided them through specialized treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (or CBT-I).
What is Chronic Insomnia?
Most adults will experience situational periods of insomnia. People with insomnia may find it difficult to naturally fall asleep or stay asleep. The minimal sleep they are getting is not restorative, which can lead to feeling sluggish throughout the day. Most short periods of situational insomnia resolve on their own, but when they don't it can lead to chronic insomnia.
Chronic insomnia is the experience of being unable to fall asleep or waking up frequently 3 - 4 nights a week, for more than 3 months. Complications of chronic insomnia include:Irritable or anxious mood - low frustration toleranceLack of focus and inability to concentrate on details or conversationsDelays in alertness and feeling overly fatigued Risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and stroke increasedLowered immune system defense
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
The gold standard treatment for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (or CBT-I). CBT-I offers sustainable solutions that can be used anywhere and at any time. There are minimal risks associated with CBT-I versus prescription medication for sleep, which may be costly, cause harmful side effects, and may have a high risk for dependency.
How would CBTI help me?
While medications and other approaches may help some individuals, they are often only short-term solutions. CBTI explores underlying issues and helps you find strategies that work to get you lifelong sleep.
What to Expect With CBT-I
One of the best aspects of CBT-I is the applicability of the treatment to other pain points in your life. If you struggle with chronic pain or a range of mental health conditions (ADHD, PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders) you can apply the skills learned in CBT-I towards those conditions (time management, self awareness, and stress reduction) and once you improve the quality of your sleep - you'll likely experience an improvement in both physical and emotional well being.
Prior to starting CBT-I, our initial session will involve me becoming familiar with relevant medical and mental health history, your mood and current stressors, and your current sleep habits and concerns.
CBT-I components include:
1. Education
- Overview of the typical sleep cycle, insomnia, and realistic expectations for sleep.
2. Behavioral Interventions
- Stimulus Control: A technique helping you associate the bed with sleep.
- Sleep Restriction: Limiting your time in bed to only include when you are sleepy. This can improve sleep quality and sleep efficiency.
- Sleep Hygiene: Changes you can make to your nightly habits or routine to improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Stimulus Control3. Relaxation Training
- These techniques are aimed at the mind-body connection and may involve breathing exercises, movement and stretching, and mental imagery.
4. Prioritize Your Sleep
- Prioritizing your sleep starts with Sleep Pyschology of California. I'm eager to see how we can adjust, recalibrate, and restore your sleep! If you live in California or Virginia - schedule your free consultation call. If you don't see a time that works., feel free to email me at: help@sleeppsychologycalifornia.com
Come say hi!
