Those who have insomnia and try to fight sleep may end up making the insomnia worse. Trying to force sleep requires mental effort and increases alertness, leaving individuals feeling anything but relaxed. The brain recognizes this urgency as a potential threat. As a result, the individual remains awake as the brain tries to identify potential threats.
Thankfully, there is a behavioral treatment known as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). If you struggle with insomnia, consider insomnia treatment using CBT. For those frustrated by not getting enough sleep, a pattern can emerge: the harder you try to fall asleep, the more likely you are to stay awake.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is categorized as a sleeping disorder and is associated with difficulty falling asleep, trouble remaining asleep, or waking up early in the morning, only to be unable to fall back asleep. Insomnia causes significant sleep disturbance that can interfere with an individual’s day-to-day life and routine. These disturbances can affect school, home, and work life.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is based on sleep research. Research reveals that distressing thoughts and feelings at bedtime are among the partial reasons for sleeping difficulties. Often associated with insomnia are the acts of remaining in bed awake for hours at a time, heightened anxiety surrounding sleep, or frustration about the lack of sleep received.
How CBT-I Can Improve Sleep
Long-term improvements in insomnia seem to result from patients learning to support and promote the body’s natural sleep mechanism. The five key components of CBT-I consist of:
- Cognitive restructuring
- Relaxation techniques
- Sleep consolidation
- Sleep hygiene
- Stimulus control
In addition, sleep disruptions contribute to a variety of medical problems. These include:
- Reduced immune function
- Exacerbation of psychiatric conditions
- Metabolic imbalance
- Cognitive impairment
CBT-I offers results equivalent to sleep medication with no side effects, a tendency for improved sleep after treatment ends, and fewer episodes of relapse. Long-term improvements promote the body’s natural sleep mechanism.
Although sleep medication is effective for short-term use, some patients can experience side effects such as a morning hangover or amnestic episodes. Some individuals who continually depend on medication may take higher doses that may lead to tolerance or dependence on the drug.
What Defines Insomnia?
Although insomnia has several side effects, this specific type of sleeping disorder can only be classified if there are sleep disturbances:
- Are present for at least 3 months
- Cause significant distress or impairment in functioning
- Occur at least 3 nights per week
- Occur despite adequate opportunity for sleep
Additionally, insomnia may be diagnosed if another sleeping disorder cannot better explain the sleep disturbance. Likewise, if a substance such as a drug or medication cannot better explain the lack of sleep, insomnia will be identified.
There are numerous medications for insomnia, including benzodiazepines, other hypnotics, over-the-counter drugs, and herbal supplements. Despite this, CBT-I remains beneficial and is known to reduce sleep problems related to insomnia. To determine the cause of the sleeping problem, doctors may begin with sleep assessments and rule out other conditions, including sleep apnea.
Find Insomnia Treatment Today
At Cognitive Behavior Associates, we offer a wide range of treatment options for those struggling with mental health conditions, sleeping disorders, and other conditions. As one of the largest practices in the Los Angeles area, all our clinicians are trained in proven treatment methods.
For those of you seeking a remedy to insomnia or another sleeping disorder, contact the center for cognitive behavioral therapy. Not only do we provide consultation and training services, but we also specifically focus on insomnia by utilizing CBT-I. Contact us today to learn more about our treatment services and the options you can consider.