CBT Techniques For Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can make it difficult to fall asleep, or stay asleep, or wake you up early and keep you from sleeping again. It is recommended as the first line of treatment of chronic sleep problems when it comes to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, sometimes called CBT-I. (3)
Sleep-inducing thoughts and behaviors are identified and replaced with sleep-promoting ones through cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. A CBT-I session helps you resolve sleep problems by addressing the underlying causes.
You may be asked to keep a detailed sleep diary for one to two weeks to help your sleep problem therapist figure out how to best treat your insomnia.
Working Procedure of Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia?
The intelligible part of CBT-I involves recognizing and changing beliefs that interfere with sleep. Therapy of this type helps eliminate or control worries and negative thoughts that won’t allow you to sleep.
The behavioral component of CBT-I promotes good sleeping habits and helps you avoid behaviors negatively impacting your sleep.
Based on your needs, your sleep therapist may suggest you use some of these CBT-I strategies:
- Stimulation Control Therapy
With this method, you are able to remove the factors that lead to sleeplessness.For instance, your trainer may instruct you to keep a regular wake time and bedtime, staying away from naps, using the bed only for sex and sleeping, and leaving your room after 20 minutes if you can’t fall asleep, returning only when you’re feeling sleepy.
- Restricted Sleep
Sleeping when you’re awake can become a habit that causes poor sleep. As a result of this treatment, you spend less time in bed, resulting in short-term sleep deprivation, which leaves you more tired the following night. Your bedtime is gradually increased after your sleep has improved.
- Sleep Hygiene
This therapy involves changing your basic lifestyle routines that interfere with sleep, such as drinking or smoking excessive caffeine late during the day, not getting proper exercise, or drinking excessive alcohol. It also offers tips on how to wind down an hour or two before bedtime to help you sleep better.
- Improving the Sleep Environment
There are ways to create a comfortable sleep environment. For example, you can keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, avoid having a TV in your bedroom, and hide the clock for viewing.
- Relaxation Exercises
These exercises calm the body and mind. Techniques include muscle relaxation, imagery, meditation, and others.
- Passively Staying Awake
Also known as paradoxical intention, it entails a lack of effort to fall asleep. The paradox is that worrying about not being able to sleep can actually wake you up. Allowing your worries to go can help you sleep better and relax.
- Biofeedback
Biological signs such as muscle tension and heart rate can be observed and adjusted by this method. Your sleep expert may have you record your daily sleep patterns with a biofeedback device at home. The information can be used to identify sleep patterns.