If you’ve been struggling with insomnia, you might be desperate for relief. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) could help alleviate your symptoms. CBT for insomnia, often known as CBT-I, is a powerful, natural form of treatment for this frustrating condition. Many people assume that they need to take strong medications in order to overcome insomnia. But interventions like CBT-I can be highly effective, without potential detrimental side effects.
Learning about the ins and outs of CBT-I can help you figure out whether this approach is right for you. Let’s explore the key components of CBT-I, and why it can be so beneficial for recovering from insomnia.
Understanding CBT-I
CBT-I helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are affecting your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Your therapist will guide you in identifying your beliefs and emotions related to sleep so that you can start unpacking whether or not your perceptions are grounded in reality. They’ll break down misconceptions, such as “I’ll never be able to fall asleep,” and determine which behavioral patterns might be keeping you awake.
Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is a critical part of CBT-I. For example, memories of lying awake night after night can lead you to believe that getting enough sleep is a hopeless cause. But holding on to this belief only makes it harder to sleep, because you’ll often worry about tossing and turning before you even get into bed. This creates a cycle that’s hard to break.
Your therapist will help you alter your perspective around sleep. You can work towards releasing your worries around daytime exhaustion or other consequences of insomnia.
Controlling Your Environment
If you have insomnia, there’s a strong chance that you dread getting ready for bed. To delay going to bed, you might stay up and watch TV, scroll on your phone, or play video games. A therapist will help you create a restful environment in which your bed is solely a place for sleep, not procrastination, gaming, or scrolling. They will also help you address other stimulating habits, like caffeine consumption late in the day, or daytime naps.
Sleep Restriction And Compression
Individuals with insomnia often spend long hours lying awake in bed, waiting to get tired. But this approach can be detrimental to sleep. Your therapist can direct you through a process called sleep restriction. This entails setting boundaries around the amount of time you physically spend in bed.
You’ll adjust the time you spend in bed based on the time you actually spend sleeping on an average night, plus an extra thirty minutes, and shift your bedtime accordingly. As your average sleep time gets longer, you’ll be able to extend the time you spend in bed. Sleep compression is a slightly different technique that involves gradually reducing the time you’re in bed.
Relaxation Techniques
By using various relaxation techniques, you can find relief from the racing thoughts that might be keeping you up at night. A counselor specializing in CBT-I can help you practice breathing exercises, as well as progressive muscle relaxation in combination with positive visualization. Meditation can also aid you in focusing your attention on your breath, rather than anxious thoughts.
All of these techniques help you feel safe and secure in your bed, enabling your body and mind to fully relax. Relaxation techniques are not cure-all treatments for insomnia, but these practices can ease your mind and alleviate your concerns about going to sleep.
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Are you interested in trying CBT to treat insomnia? Connect with our team of anxiety therapists to book an introductory call and discuss the benefits of CBT for insomnia.
