What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)?
CBT-I is an evidence-based, non-drug approach based upon the concept that chronic insomnia (lasting more than 4 weeks) is sustained by a variety of physica1and behavioral factors that are generally unrelated to acute insomnia (lasting one or two days). The factors that maintain chronic insomnia are the focus of the treatment. What happens in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia? The experience of insomnia is unique to each person and is impacted by many factors including life circumstances, coping styles, and biological predispositions. Treatment is tailored to each patient’s specific circumstances. Treatment generally includes: education on the many factors that can interfere with sleep, developing healthy and effective sleep behaviors, learning skills for calming the mind and managing stress, individualized sleep-wake scheduling programs (including sleep consolidation and stimulus control) eliminating sleep-incompatible behaviors, and the use of properly timed light exposure to re
