Many people have a difficult time falling asleep from time to time. But if you have insomnia, sleep disturbance is much more frequent. If you are struggling, you aren’t alone. In fact, insomnia affects approximately 30% of adults in North America. This is a truly difficult issue and can impact almost every aspect of your life and leave you functioning far from your best. The good news is that insomnia therapy can make a big difference.
Some causes of insomnia are:
- stress
- pain issues
- depression
- anxiety
- trauma
- nightmares
- an irregular work schedule
- sleep apnea
- other physiological issues.
What is Insomnia Therapy?
Some people struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep and other people tend to wake up very early in the morning. There is nothing quite as frustrating as not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep. Lying awake in bed can be frightening and anxiety provoking. Nothing good tends to come from insomnia but plenty of good can come from addressing it through insomnia therapy.
Some of the difficulties that come from Insomnia are:
- problems with attention, concentration and memory
- poor work performance
- irritability/ mood issues
- daytime sleepiness
- anger/ aggression
- lack of motivation
- errors/ accidents
- anxiety
- stress around sleep
The main objectives of insomnia therapy are to improve sleep quality, duration and feelings about being able to sleep well. Treatment approaches will differ from person to person and depend on various factors like the duration of the issue, concurrent medical and mental health concerns.
Other objectives of insomnia therapy are to:
- reduce daytime impairments
- diminish distress around sleep
- address mental and emotional concerns that might be affecting sleep
- creating and reinforcing a healthy sleep schedule
- implement a sleep hygiene practice
If you are ready to sleep well again, please get in touch for a free consultation.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia (CBT-I)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is one of the approaches used in insomnia therapy. This intervention is a short, structured, and evidence-based approach to overcome the distressing symptoms of insomnia.
Some aspects of this program are:
- explore methods designed to improve sleep quality - to increase understanding about what is contributing to the sleep disturbance
- interventions designed to reduce anxiety around falling asleep
- relaxation techniques to calm the nervous system - learning about sleep hygiene and how to set yourself up for success
This program provides constructive ways of dealing with anxieties around sleep through the lens of contemporary views of insomnia. Sleep disturbance is a huge struggle. If you are ready to sleep well again, please get in touch for a free consultation.