Insomnia Treatment
Insomnia is a common condition that millions of Americans struggle with. Simply put, insomnia is when you are not getting the proper amount of sleep that you need each night. Perhaps you are not sleeping enough or maybe you are having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep. For some people, insomnia may be a minor issue in their life. But, for other people, insomnia can consume their whole life.
There are many reasons why your body needs sleep, from physical restoration to mood and hormone regulation. When you do not get an adequate amount of rest, you experience sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is when you are not sleeping enough or you are not getting the amount of rest you need on a consistent basis. If your sleep deprivation is severe or occurs over an extended period of time, you may have disruptive symptoms that interfere with functioning in your daily life.
If you are experiencing insomnia and sleep deprivation, you may be experiencing the following signs and symptoms:
Hard time falling asleep - If you have insomnia, you may have a hard time initiating sleep, therefore you may just lie awake in bed for a long time before being able to actually get some shut eye
Early morning wakeup times - Insomnia may cause you to wake up earlier than you want to and, once up, you have a hard time falling back asleep
Mid-night awakenings - Insomnia and general sleep deprivation may cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night and into the morning, making it difficult to have a continuous sleep cycle
Physical symptoms - Chronic sleep issues can trigger physical symptoms, such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, a lowered immune system, and so on
Daytime sleepiness - If you are sleep deprived, it is normal to feel sleepy throughout the day which makes it hard to stay focused working work or school hours
Mood changes - Running on little to no sleep can cause mood swings, irritability, higher stress levels, and even a hard time managing your emotions
Hard time concentrating - As mentioned with daytime sleepiness, you may have a hard time paying attention to and concentrating on certain things when you are sleep-deprived
Memory issues - Not getting a proper amount of sleep can result in your ability to recall information, making you forgetful and you may have a hard time retaining new information
Mental health concerns - Sleep deprivation can cause or worsen mental health issues, like anxiety, depression, and mood disorders
Decline in performance - Sleep deprivation impacts many areas of your life, affecting your relationships with family, friends, and romantic partner(s); work; school; and daily activities
In order to prevent or alleviate your symptoms, you must get to the root cause of your insomnia and sleep deprivation. With the help of a sleep specialist at Anchor Therapy, you can live a life where you are physically and mentally healthy, and thriving.
Learn About Diverse Sleep Habits
Sleep habits and needs vary since every person has their own unique set of needs. Sometimes, we can possess natural sleep characteristics that we perceive as “normal” but it may seem abnormal to another person.
For example, you may consider yourself an early bird, also known as an early riser. You prefer to go to bed early and wake up early. A night owl, or late riser, prefers to go to sleep and wake up late.
Similarly, we have short sleepers who, due to genetic reasons, require less sleep than the average person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults require a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night.
As we age, our sleep requirements change drastically. For example, newborns (0 to 3 months old) require 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day. Preschoolers require 10 to 13 hours of sleep each night. School age children require 9 to 12 hours of sleep each day. Teens require 8 to 10 hours of sleep for every 24-hour period. Lastly, senior citizens should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Your need for sleep simply changes throughout the course of your life.
There are also additional learned sleep differences that we pick up as we undergo major life transitions. For example, let us say that you took a job in law enforcement or the armed forces. If you have combat experience, you may have learned to become a light sleeper due to the pressures and requirements of your job. On the other hand, you may be an extremely heavy sleeper where you can stay sound asleep despite what is going on around you.
Building healthy sleep habits with the professional guidance of an insomnia therapist can help you achieve the sleep quality and duration you are looking for. Insomnia treatment offers a structured approach so you can address your sleep problems head-on and receive long-lasting results.
Unlocking the Power of Restful Nights with the Help of An Insomnia Therapist
At Anchor Therapy, our insomnia counselors use a multifaceted approach to help you overcome your sleep difficulties. One of the most important things you will learn in chronic insomnia treatment is about the importance of sleep hygiene.
To build healthy sleep habits, you can learn to construct an environment that is conducive to sleep, produce a dependable sleep schedule, and steer clear of brain-stimulating activities before bedtime (e.g., scrolling on an electronic device). When you create foundational principles, quality sleep will organically happen.
A sleep disorder therapist at Anchor Therapy will use multiple therapeutic modalities with one of the most popular forms of therapy being Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for insomnia.
Cognitive-behavioral techniques provide you with the opportunity for cognitive restructuring so you can challenge and rethink your negative thoughts and beliefs about rest. This will not only lessen your anxiety, but it will also enhance your sleep confidence.
Behavioral interventions will help you mentally connect your bed with restful sleep and control sleep-wake patterns through certain exercises, such as sleep restriction. Sleep restriction is a behavioral tactic to improve the quality of your sleep by reducing the amount of time you spend in bed so it equates to the amount of time you actually sleep.
These types of evidence-based techniques will empower you to take enterprising steps so you can reclaim your sleep health!
Here are some common strategies that a sleep therapist may use in their CBT sleep therapy sessions with you:
Sleep hygiene education
An insomnia counselor will educate you on sleep hygiene and how to create a comfortable sleep environment
Examples of a comfortable sleep environment include:
Optimal temperature
Darkness
Quiet setting
Clutter-free space
Soothing colors
Aromatherapy
Technology-free space
Relaxation techniques
Certain relaxation techniques can help you reduce anxiety so you can relax before you go to sleep
Examples of relaxation techniques:
Progressive muscle relaxation
Guided imagery
Meditation
Deep breathing exercises
Sleep diary monitoring
If you are into journaling, keeping a sleep diary may be the right fit for you
A sleep diary can help you keep track of your sleep patterns, monitor your progress, and even help you pinpoint your insomnia triggers
You and your insomnia therapist can review this journal to monitor the effectiveness of the insomnia treatment plan and potentially tweak interventions to your needs
Stimulus control
Stimulus control restricts the way you use your bed and bedroom. For instance, an insomnia therapist may recommend restricting this area to only sleep and intimacy. Therefore, you would avoid working from bed, watching television, scrolling on social media, and so on in that space.
Sleep restriction
Sleep restriction techniques can enhance sleep efficiency by limiting the time you spend in bed. This tactic often goes hand-in-hand with stimulus control.
Resolving underlying problems
There may be underlying issues that are contributing to your sleep disturbances, like anxiety, depression, medication side effects, and medical conditions. When you treat the underlying conditions, your sleep will improve.
Lifestyle changes
There are certain lifestyle changes you can make to support healthy sleep habits, such as:
Limiting alcohol
Limiting caffeine
Working out
Creating a relaxing bedtime routine
Gradual implementation
Gaining a healthy sleep schedule and healthy sleep habits takes time- do not pressure yourself!
Your insomnia counselor will make sure that you do not get ahead of yourself by helping you craft realistic goals so you can make sustainable adjustments.
Success in insomnia therapy does not magically occur overnight. At Anchor Therapy, our insomnia therapists are here to help you each and every step of the way. Any setbacks or challenges you face will not be faced alone. Along the way, you will learn how to refine treatment strategies to promote your long-term mental health.
CBT for Insomnia In Action
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is effective at treating insomnia because it looks at two components of insomnia: cognitive and behavioral factors. CBT-I will change your maladaptive thoughts and beliefs associated with sleep.
If you have insomnia, you likely experience negative thoughts about sleep which can worsen anxiety and create further arousal close to bedtime, worsening your overall sleep quality. When you replace your negative thoughts with more positive yet realistic ones, pre-sleep anxiety is reduced, thus promoting a more optimistic mindset so you can fall asleep and stay asleep.
Let us say that Jim, a 35-year old lawyer who is aiming to make partner at his law firm, is seeking the help of a sleep specialist due to his insomnia. Jim is experiencing insomnia due to work stress and a lack of a healthy work-life balance.
In the initial intake session, Jim talks about his sleep patterns, stressors, and problems associated with his sleep troubles. His busy work schedule coupled with the constant pressure to meet work deadlines has elevated his stress levels, therefore it is hard for him to unwind at night and get good sleep. Jim has a hard time falling asleep, wakes up multiple times throughout the night, and feels tired during the day even though he spends enough time in bed. Now that we know this background information, how can CBT-I help Jim?
First things first, an insomnia therapist will provide psychoeducation to Jim, discussing the impact of stress and work-related issues on sleep. Chronic stress can induce insomnia since the body’s stress system gets activated, leading to heightened arousal. This helps Jim learn about the importance of work-life balance and how to complete relaxation techniques to gain proper sleep and manage stress.
In cognitive restructuring for insomnia, a sleep specialist will pinpoint and challenge negative thoughts that Jim has about sleep. For instance, Jim may be thinking “I cannot sleep and I have so much work to do. If I cannot sleep, then I cannot get my work done and I will never make partner.” Instead, an insomnia counselor may help Jim replace that with a thought like “While it’s stressful to struggle with sleep, I know that I am taking care of my health. By implementing strategies to improve my sleep, I can enhance my productivity.”
With Jim’s demanding work schedule, his insomnia therapist may also advise stimulus control so he can fortify his association with his bed and sleep. They will also chat about ways to build a cozy sleep setting.
Lastly, building a structured sleep schedule for a person like Jim may be beneficial since it will prioritize adequate sleep and his work commitments at the same time. Sleep restriction tactics can be employed gradually. Additionally, learning about time management strategies in insomnia counseling can help Jim prioritize his tasks, create boundaries between work and home, and reach out for help when needed.
Therapy for insomnia, specifically CBT for sleep, is an effective way to manage your sleep difficulties. By tackling both the cognitive and behavioral components of insomnia, you can reclaim your sleep and overall life! Psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, stimulus control, sleep restriction, and additional therapeutic techniques can help you experience improvements in your sleep patterns.
How Can I Start insomnia treatment at Anchor Therapy?
WORKING WITH us IS EASY
Fill out the contact form below.
An Intake Coordinator will respond to your inquiry, and match you with an insomnia therapist.
Feel confident that you will soon get the rest you need and deserve!
