The Journal
Why Sleep Hygiene Alone Sometimes Isn’t Enough
Many people with chronic insomnia have already tried sleep hygiene recommendations such as limiting caffeine, reducing screen time, and maintaining a consistent schedule. Learn why sleep hygiene alone often isn’t enough and how CBT-I addresses the factors that keep insomnia going.
What Causes Chronic Insomnia?
What causes chronic insomnia? Learn why sleep problems often continue long after the original trigger has passed and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) addresses the factors that keep insomnia going.
Why Can I Sleep on Vacation But Not at Home?
Do you sleep better on vacation than you do at home? Learn why chronic insomnia often follows you home, how the bedroom can become associated with wakefulness, and how CBT-I helps break the cycle.
Why Can’t I Sleep Even When I’m Exhausted?
Many people with insomnia feel exhausted but still cannot sleep. Learn why fatigue alone does not guarantee sleep, how hyperarousal and sleep anxiety can interfere with rest, and how CBT-I helps address the factors that maintain chronic insomnia.
Can You Take Sleep Medication While Doing CBT-I?
Many people begin CBT-I while taking sleep medication, melatonin, or other sleep aids. Learn how CBT-I and sleep medication can work together and why treatment doesn’t usually require stopping medication immediately.
What Is CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia)?
CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is the gold-standard treatment for chronic insomnia. Rather than creating temporary sleep, CBT-I helps address the behaviors and patterns that keep insomnia going over time.
Why CBT-I Often Produces More Lasting Improvement Than Sleep Medication
When people have been struggling with insomnia for weeks, months, or years, sleep medication can understandably feel appealing. Many people are exhausted, frustrated, anxious about sleep, and desperate for relief.
Sleep medications can sometimes be helpful, particularly in the short term. Some people find that medication temporarily reduces nighttime anxiety or helps them fall asleep more quickly.
However, chronic insomnia is often maintained by more than the absence of sleep itself.