Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is based on the idea that chronic insomnia is due to learned behavior that can be unlearned.
Components of CBT-I includes:
- sleep education
- stimulus control (behavioral)
- primarily for difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia)
- remove link between bed and being awake
- remove items from bedroom that are incompatible with sleep
- If you’re unable to fall asleep for a while, leave the bed and only return when you feel drowsy
- sleep restriction (behavioral)
- More appropriately should be called “bed restriction”
- aim to increase sleep drive and reduce time in bed laying awake
- a.k.a. increasing sleep efficiency
- cognitive therapy
- Address and change unhealthy beliefs about sleep