Sleep therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that can help individuals control or eliminate negative thoughts and worries that keep them awake. It is a common feature of virtually every type of CBTi and aims to address the difficulty of staying asleep using reverse logic. The first step in a treatment plan should be to change sleep habits and address any issues that may be causing sleep problems or disorders. Sleep restriction therapy is a technique used to limit the amount of time spent in bed, which can help people struggling with insomnia sleep better.
To identify patterns of sleep problems and decide on the best treatment approach, your therapist may start by asking you to keep a sleep diary. Restricting sleep begins by calculating the total time you spend sleeping on a normal night using a sleep diary. This can also help you look forward to bedtime and can be a long-term solution to better and less irregular sleep patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for sleep disorders is popular and can be an effective part of a treatment plan.
Behavioral therapy teaches you to avoid behaviors that keep you awake at night and to replace them with better sleep habits. Thoughts and feelings related to sleep are examined and tested to see if they are correct, while behaviors are examined to determine if they favor sleep. Working with an online therapist can help you avoid the expense and hassle of having to meet in person, and for many people with sleep problems, it can be as effective as in-person therapy. Good sleep hygiene involves increasing practices that promote and promote sleep, and reducing or eliminating those that discourage sleep.
Common thoughts and beliefs that may be addressed during treatment include anxiety about past experiences of insomnia, unrealistic expectations about the time and quality of sleep, and concern about daytime fatigue or other consequences of lack of sleep. You can also support your therapy by making positive lifestyle choices that benefit your ability to sleep.
