Sleep Difficulty and Mental Health
Insomnia is one of the most problematic concerns facing adults and adolescents today. According to the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over one quarter of adults in the United States do not meet the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. Insufficient sleep is associated with mental health difficulties and physical ailments including depression, anxiety, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and physical injury. Adequate sleep is critical for good mental health and improved quality of life.
CBT-I
CBT-I is an evidence based and empirically supported treatment for insomnia. It is often called the “gold standard” due to its high success rate improving quality of sleep. Whether it is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, research has demonstrated CBT-I to be as effective as sleep medication in the short-run and more effective in the long-run.
How CBT-I Works
Sleep Hygiene
CBT-I focuses on altering sleep hygiene to create a more effective nighttime routine. Nighttime routines which signal the mind and body to wind down rather than wake up are critical. This incudes changing nighttime activities, longstanding patterns, food and drinking habits, and screen time.
Stimulus Control
Stimulus control refers to the way in which bedtime behavioral associations “trigger” humans to feel awake. In these instances, walking into a bedroom could trigger wakefulness rather than the release of melatonin. While working on stimulus control the client may be asked to leave the bed periodically throughout the night in order to reduce occurrences of unwanted stimulus response.
Sleep Restriction
Counter to popular belief, staying in bed for longer hours in order to catch up on sleep does not result in a more rested experience. In fact, the more time spent in bed, the less deep your sleep is likely to be. In order to increase “deep sleep” we want to fill the “deep sleep drive” by spending time in bed only when sleepy. By restricting time awake in bed without sleep, sleep is likely to deepen and quality of sleep increase.
Sleep Arousal
When racing thoughts, rumination or anxiety further interfere with sleep, CBT-I focuses on reducing pre-sleep and mid-sleep arousal. Skills are taught to better manage unwanted thoughts, relax anxiety, and ease stress levels.
Cognitive Behavioral Counseling and CBT-I
When presenting with insomnia, Dr. Berman will work with you to determine if sleep difficulties are caused by challenging life stressors, longstanding mental health symptoms, or general sleep difficulty. You and Dr. Berman will measure your sleep efficiency score while implementing cutting edge interventions to provide you with the quality of sleep you deserve.