Peter C. Cousins, Ph.D., ABPP
Insomnia is a common problem. Frequently, insomnia
is related to mental health issues including anxiety and
depression or physical disorders, such as obstructive
sleep apnea, which is a serious and often undiagnosed
disorder. Insomnia can be a problem with someone
who is mentally healthy however, but is either a life long
poor sleeper, or is under a temporarily stressful time in
their life. After all sleep is definitely not encouraged in
our culture, and very little is done which supports
proper sleep habits, and many distractions can
contribute to many of us having chronically poor sleep.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a very successful
treatment for insomnia which shows signs of being
equal to or in some cases even more effective than
medication, and does not involve sleep hygiene. This
is the cognitive/behavioral treatment (CBT) of insomnia.
It usually involves only about four to eight visits after
the initial diagnostic visits, and can be helpful even for
those who are taking medicine but are finding it to be
less than totally effective.
To understand this treatment it is important to
understand what it is not, and cognitive behavioral
treatment (CBT) of insomnia is not the same thing as
using good sleep hygiene. Good sleep hygiene is a
collection of behaviors that when practiced together
can greatly improve both the quantity and quality of
sleep and although having good sleep hygiene can aid
and work together with CBT, they are not one and the
same. Sleep hygiene includes avoiding going to bed
unless you are sleepy, avoiding naps, making your
bedroom dark and a little bit cool, and avoiding caffeine
after lunch. It is also good to exercise daily but not
within a few hours of initiating sleep since exercise can
energize you. It is helpful to do something to relax you
before going to bed, and not to eat a big meal within
three hours of going to sleep. It is also tends to help to
go to bed and to wake up at roughly the same time
everyday, even if you do not have to get up for work.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia has two main
components, a cognitive component called Stimulus
Control Therapy (SCT), and a behavioral component
called Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT). During
treatment special sleep diary forms are filled out every
night and they are discussed with your therapist in
order to determine the dosing of the two primary
elements of treatment. After the baseline period then
the patient and therapist work together to bring these
elements together in such a way as to train oneself to
get deeper and longer sleep, usually within only a
couple of months or less. Once change occurs, it is
usually permanent, although occasionally booster
sessions are needed. Thus often in as little as 6 - 10
visits, lasting change can occur so that it can truly be
said: Sleep Brings Happiness!!
is related to mental health issues including anxiety and
depression or physical disorders, such as obstructive
sleep apnea, which is a serious and often undiagnosed
disorder. Insomnia can be a problem with someone
who is mentally healthy however, but is either a life long
poor sleeper, or is under a temporarily stressful time in
their life. After all sleep is definitely not encouraged in
our culture, and very little is done which supports
proper sleep habits, and many distractions can
contribute to many of us having chronically poor sleep.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a very successful
treatment for insomnia which shows signs of being
equal to or in some cases even more effective than
medication, and does not involve sleep hygiene. This
is the cognitive/behavioral treatment (CBT) of insomnia.
It usually involves only about four to eight visits after
the initial diagnostic visits, and can be helpful even for
those who are taking medicine but are finding it to be
less than totally effective.
To understand this treatment it is important to
understand what it is not, and cognitive behavioral
treatment (CBT) of insomnia is not the same thing as
using good sleep hygiene. Good sleep hygiene is a
collection of behaviors that when practiced together
can greatly improve both the quantity and quality of
sleep and although having good sleep hygiene can aid
and work together with CBT, they are not one and the
same. Sleep hygiene includes avoiding going to bed
unless you are sleepy, avoiding naps, making your
bedroom dark and a little bit cool, and avoiding caffeine
after lunch. It is also good to exercise daily but not
within a few hours of initiating sleep since exercise can
energize you. It is helpful to do something to relax you
before going to bed, and not to eat a big meal within
three hours of going to sleep. It is also tends to help to
go to bed and to wake up at roughly the same time
everyday, even if you do not have to get up for work.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia has two main
components, a cognitive component called Stimulus
Control Therapy (SCT), and a behavioral component
called Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT). During
treatment special sleep diary forms are filled out every
night and they are discussed with your therapist in
order to determine the dosing of the two primary
elements of treatment. After the baseline period then
the patient and therapist work together to bring these
elements together in such a way as to train oneself to
get deeper and longer sleep, usually within only a
couple of months or less. Once change occurs, it is
usually permanent, although occasionally booster
sessions are needed. Thus often in as little as 6 - 10
visits, lasting change can occur so that it can truly be
said: Sleep Brings Happiness!!
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(713) 523-5778
(281) 361-5778
(281) 361-5778
Sleep Brings Happiness!
| 3000 Richmond Avenue Suite 425 Houston, TX 77098 19747 Highway 59 North Suite 222 Humble, TX 77338 |
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