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Cognitive Behavioral therapy has been around for quite a long time, and it has been used to help people dealing with several medical disorders ranging from mental disorders to addictions. The therapeutic approach has been tested over time and results closely evaluated to bring about the sound development that the technique now possesses. Furthermore, one of the many conditions that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people is not only those who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it helps people sleep well based on the same principles that it assists in combatting post-traumatic stress disorder.
Insomnia is not just the inability to sleep, it is more like the inability to sleep properly. This either means that the individual finds it hard to sleep, or wakes up before sleeping for a long time. In some other people, it could be experienced as the lack of wakefulness or the lack of freshness after sleeping. Moreover, the challenge is that there are so many reasons why different people have insomnia, and these causes are usually unique from one person to another. That in itself makes insomnia a huge challenge, but that makes Cognitive behavioral therapy well suited for providing a lasting solution to people battling with insomnia.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Sleep?
There are safe, highly practical and possible ways of getting solutions to sleep disorders other than the use of pills. In an age where most people seek instant fixes to everything and most are not patient in getting sound solutions, cognitive behavioral therapy may not seem desirable. However, CBT-I is super effective because it addresses the problem of sleeping soundly from the mind of the individual.
Furthermore, trained healthcare professionals assists utilize cognitive behavioral therapy by locating the habits that cause sleeplessness, and work on establishing a healthier system that actualizes a proper and sound sleep pattern.
Usually, the first line of action in the treatment of insomnia is the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia commonly known as CBT-I. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is indicated in those who have trouble falling asleep, a person who sleeps and finds it hard to stay asleep and in someone who wakes up too early and cannot get back in bed. The following are types of CBT-I techniques that a sleep therapist may recommend
- Stimulus control therapy: The mechanism behind the stimulus control therapy is to remove all the factors that can hinder you from getting a good One of such instances is using the bedroom as a place to sleep only.
- Lifestyle changes: Certain lifestyle habits can be risk factors for insomnia like smoking, drinking, taking too much of caffeine, or alcohol, and not partaking in enough physical activities. This is one of the vital pillars of life as it can affect many things in the life of a person, and insomnia is not an exception because rest is essential to life.
How Long does it take for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Work?
Unlike pills that provide effective short-term treatment by relieving symptoms, CBT-I attempts to find out and solve the underlying problems. Therefore CBT-I takes a longer period and effort to make it work. Since it involves addressing a person’s behavior in order to achieve better sleeping habits, patients have to attend a series of sessions with an experienced professional.
The sessions are often ranging from four to twelve visits to the psychologist and for about thirty minutes per session. Basically, during each session, therapists use conversations and coaching to educate their patients about sleep. Tasks are often given to work on before the next session and having a sleep diary is recommended.
How Can Insomnia be Treated?
There have been lots of research over the years on the subject of insomnia. As soon as insomnia becomes a problem and starts affecting one’s typical daily activities, it should be reported to the doctor. The primary approach is the evaluation of the situation and conclusion on the best mode of treatment. Doctors are beginning to prescribe more often cognitive behavioral therapy for patients who present with insomnia. It is always the best practice to welcome and use the guidance of a trained expert, even though it can be done individually, it helps to have that extra support and expertise.
Relaxation exercises are used to assist in getting the desired results, stimulus control is also utilized, and sleep restriction is a vital part of the techniques that are carried out to treat insomnia. However, what makes cognitive behavioral therapy the best form of therapy prescribed by physicians is the way it engages the individuals going through insomnia both mentally and behaviorally. CBT makes one see the logic for having a proper sleeping routine and culture.
Furthermore, it also helps people suffering from insomnia to see that the reasons for having this proper sleep pattern are sound and necessary. In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy, as it is named, goes further than the reasons and how logical they sound. It helps the patients in being disciplined and forming the appropriate behavior as well as the habit that will help them not relapse, and enjoy life by sleeping well.
How do you Cure Insomnia without Medication?
If you have read all the way here, you are probably feeling sleepy already. You are not the only one. As I am writing this article, I am fighting the urge to sleep. Sleep disorders such as insomnia are more common that we all realize. About twenty percent of the American population suffers from insomnia. I bet even the President does not get enough sleep or feel rested enough during the day. Going through the day without a cup of coffee almost seems impossible. Starbucks will most likely keep expanding because as a society, we are attached to our coffee to go through the day alert. Well, that in itself is one of the reasons we suffer from insomnia. The most important thing is to note the signs that one has insomnia and not be insensitive to it, but seek help from a doctor.
There are many reasons why one need to tackle the issue of insomnia as fast as possible, one of them is the fact that one’s immune system may drop as a result of insomnia. Another one is that it may affect the way the brain and body work generally, this could lead to many colossal health disorders like cardiac problems, diabetes, depression, obesity, and irritability. Therefore, seek help and get treated without putting additional stress on the liver by taking drugs.
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References
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia | Tuck Sleep. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.tuck.com/cbt-insomnia/
Treatment. (2018). Retrieved from https://sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/content/treatment
