Solve Your Sleep Problems With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Maybe it feels like you have tried everything to fix your sleep problems without success. Milder sleep problems can be frustrating, but in more severe cases, the problems can be directly disabling. If you are looking for solutions, psychotherapy can offer much better results than popular sleeping pills. Below you can read about how cognitive behavioral therapy can help you with your sleep difficulties.

Insomnia is a common problem that is often treated incorrectly. Statistically, around 6% of the adult population suffers from sleep disorders, as defined by the Psychiatric  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders  (DSM-5). In addition, 12% of those with sleep disorders state that these affect their daily activities.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder. A person with sleep disorders has difficulty falling asleep and wakes up easily or wakes up very early in the morning. This disorder can make it difficult to function normally and has significant negative health effects.

In addition, sleep problems are often behind the development of several psychological and medical disorders. That is why it is so important to get the right treatment if you have sleep problems. According to the DSM-5, mental health care should diagnose sleep disorders in people who have difficulty falling asleep or who wake up easily.

To be diagnosed with sleep disorders, your symptoms must affect your daily activities. Furthermore, there must be no medical or psychiatric problems that can better explain the problems. Consequently, in order to be diagnosed with sleep disorders, a patient must have difficulty falling asleep within 30 minutes or waking up after falling asleep. If this happens at least three times a week during a six-month period, this means that the person has sleep disorders.

Several studies indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment method for sleep problems. And this form of therapy can have long-term effects if followed up properly.

Doctors recommend various prescription and over-the-counter medications for insomnia. Examples of these are benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine-type hypnotics, antidepressants and over-the-counter antihistamines such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine.

However, it has been shown that patients achieve better results with non-pharmacological treatment methods for sleep disorders. In addition, these treatment methods have more long-lasting effects. Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to be an effective and promising form of treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a psychological intervention designed to help patients change certain behaviors, thoughts and perceptions. It is these thoughts and perceptions that contribute to creating chronic sleep disorders.

This form of therapy is unique in that it focuses on sleep. It is relatively short-lived compared to other types of therapies and the patient plays a very active role in his own treatment. The main purpose of cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep disorders is to improve the patient’s sleep and ability to function during the day.

In order for the patient to achieve these goals, she receives direct guidance from her therapist. But the patient is responsible for following the therapist’s recommendations at home.

How do psychologists treat insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy?

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the behavioral and cognitive processes that cause insomnia. The goal is to counteract these processes. Furthermore, the treatment is time-limited. Usually the patient with sleep problems sees his psychologist during six to eight 50-minute sessions.

During the first session, the therapist explains to the patient how the treatment works and the science behind sleep and circadian rhythms. It is also then that the patient tells the therapist about his goals. The following three sessions are devoted to addressing the patient’s difficulty sleeping, the symptoms the patient is noticing, safety behaviors, and the patient’s energy during the day.

During the fifth, sixth and seventh sessions, such topics as relaxation, sleep hygiene, day and evening routines, etc. are discussed. Finally, during the eighth session, the focus is on how to prevent relapse.

When you begin your cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep disorders, your new therapist will first evaluate you. You will go through your medical history, as well as the background to your sleep disorders and the degree of these disorders. The first session includes several parts that are important for your treatment. Then the psychologist will give you a summary and a treatment plan. You will also discuss your special case and explain the basic patterns and processes of sleep.

Finally, during your first session with your therapist, you will identify the behavioral and cognitive processes that you need to process to find the solution to your sleep problems. When the treatment is over, you will go through all the techniques and tools you have acquired to get rid of your sleep disorders and prevent relapse.