Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Treat Insomnia.

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a sleep treatment, is a psychotherapeutic approach to cure patients who can’t sleep and have insomnia. This behavior therapy is the only scientifically approved natural remedy for insomnia. It is more effective in controlling insomnia and gives better results than most sleeping medical aids  to treat long-term sleep problems.

According to study, Cognitive behavioral therapy decreased sleep latency by 54% compared to relaxation therapy which reduced it by 16%. It is as effective as a medical or pharmacological treatment in the elderly people.

Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Insomnia.

• CBT has found to reduce the use of sleeping pills in the treatment of insomnia.
• CBT decreases sleep latency (you fall asleep fast)
• Improves sleep quality.
• Increases sleep duration.
• Significant improvement in physical and mental health.
• In patients who are also on sleep aid pills, CBT-for insomnia also significantly reduces the dose of benzodiazepines and their side effects such as drug dependence.
• It is cost-effective.
• Can be used all age groups.
• Has no side effects.

CBT Sessions.

CBT for insomnia usually involves 5 sessions per week for 5 weeks. These sessions are conducted by a cognitive behavioral therapist who is trained in field of psychiatry.

How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work in Insomnia.

This behavioral therapy to treat insomnia or sleeplessness basically involves

1) Correcting any misconceptions and myths that the person may be having about sleeping.

2) Teaching improved sleeping habits (proper sleep hygiene).

1) Behavior Therapy corrects wrong notions about sleep.

The following are some wrong concepts that you may have and they should be corrected.

Making up for a bad night’s sleep during the day.

This is wrong and sleeping during the day will only make matters worse because you will not be able to sleep easily during the next night. You must pull through the day without sleep so that you will sleep well during the subsequent night and the usual sleep cycle will be re-established.

Wrong sleep expectations.

It is wrong to assume that you must sleep 8 hours a day and lie in bed even when awake  for 8 hours. The requirement of sleeping hours varies from person to person because you may be a champion sleeper or a light sleeper. You can judge your sleep hours by the state of your freshness in the morning when you wake up. A fresh feel in the morning means you have had a good night’s sleep whether it be for 5 hours or 8 hours. If you function and perform well during the day means that you have slept well.

Losing ability to sleep.

If you have not been sleeping well does not mean you cannot sleep. Try identifying the reasons for loss of sleep and take medical help to find that cause of your insomnia which is making you lose sleep. There is no such thing as loss of ability to sleep.

Age lessens your sleeping hours.

Elderly people require the same amount of sleeping hours which they needed when they were young adults. It is true that most old people find that they sleep less than before but this is  usually due to old age diseases such as arthritis, depression or medication. Medical help should be taken.

Try Hard to Sleep.

If you cannot go to sleep in twenty minutes, do not lie in bed and try to sleep. It will only add to your anxiety of not getting sleep and make matters worse. If you can’t sleep for some reason, get up and do some light reading in a soft reading lamp (avoid bright light), or have a light bedtime snack such as described under foods for a good sleep or lie in a tub filled with warm water for about ten minutes. These tips will help to induce sleep.

2) Improved Sleeping Hygiene.

This is explained here.

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2. Sleep Aids To Help You Sleep.
3. Surgery Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
4. NREM Sleep – Non Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.
5. Proper Bedroom and Bed to Sleep Better.
6. Over The Counter and Natural Sleep Aids to Help You Sleep.
7. Apnea and Sleep Apnea – A Dangerous Sleep Disorder.
8. REM Sleep – The Dreamer’s Sleep.