Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Sleep Shouldn’t Be So Much Work.
When falling asleep becomes something you have to work at, bedtime can start to feel more stressful than restful.
You may find yourself watching the clock, calculating how many hours of sleep you have left, or worrying about how you’ll manage the next day. The harder you try to sleep, the more elusive it can become. Over time, even the thought of going to bed can bring a sense of frustration or dread.
Insomnia affects more than our nights. Poor sleep can leave us feeling exhausted, irritable, and less able to manage the demands of everyday life. It can affect our mood, concentration, relationships, and overall well-being.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) helps you understand and change the patterns that keep sleep out of reach. Rather than simply offering tips for better sleep, CBT-I addresses the thoughts, behaviours, and learned associations that can perpetuate insomnia. It is an evidence-based, first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, typically delivered over four to eight sessions.
CBT-I can be used on its own or alongside treatment for other difficulties, including anxiety and depression. Because sleep problems can persist even when other symptoms improve, addressing insomnia directly can be an important part of treatment.
How Does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Insomnia (CBT-I) Work?
CBT-I is a structured treatment and helps you target specific sleep problems. Essentially, CBT-I aims to help you overcome the underlying causes of your sleep difficulties. The beginning step in treatment involves assessing for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Afterward, your psychologist will ask you to complete a sleep diary for one to two weeks to gain a better understanding of your sleep cycle as well as thoughts and behaviors that may be contributing to sleep problems.
Treatment will involve psychoeducation on insomnia such as learning about the sleep cycle and the function of your sleep drive. The behavioral component of CBT-I helps you reset your relationship to the bed (e.g., typically one associated with struggle and unpleasant arousal) and regain a healthy perception of the bedroom as a place for sleep and renewal. Together with these specific conditioning techniques, you will learn strategies to improve the quality of your sleep, which can initially involve restriction in sleep and a gradual increase in quantity.
The cognitive aspect of CBT-I involves identifying and responding to thoughts that contribute to sleep problems such as excessive worry or rumination, unrealistic expectations about sleep, and unhelpful beliefs about sleep effort such as attempting to control your thoughts and emotions. The cognitive component occurs throughout your treatment with behavioral strategies.
Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Insomnia (CBT-I) Effective?
CBT-I has demonstrated to be 70-80% effective in treating chronic sleep problems. Sleep medications can be an effective short-term treatment — for example, they can provide immediate relief during a period of high stress or grief. CBT-I may be a helpful treatment choice if you have long-term sleep problems. Unlike medication, CBT-I addresses the underlying causes of insomnia rather than just relieving symptoms. In addition, CBT-I provides you with the tools to address sleep problems if they arise in the future.
Finding Your Way Back to Restful Sleep
When sleep becomes a nightly struggle, it can be difficult to imagine things changing. CBT-I offers a structured, evidence-based approach to understanding what’s keeping you awake and developing healthier, more sustainable sleep patterns.
Our team can help you explore whether CBT-I may be the right approach for your sleep difficulties.