Insomnia

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is extremely common, with over half of all adults experiencing it in their life time.  Chronic insomnia can be a real problem, causing fatigue and low energy, difficulty concentrating, causing poor moods, and decreased performance at work or school.  It is defined as disrupted sleep at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or longer.  People with insomnia may have problems falling asleep, staying asleep, early morning wakening or restless sleep.  People often begin dreading going to bed, feeling anxious and stressed about not being able to depend on whether you will sleep or not.

CBT-I, or Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a proven method to treat chronic insomnia and is aimed at changing sleep habits and sleep scheduling.  It focuses on education about the different stages of sleep and understanding how your thoughts and behaviors have contributed to making this a chronic problem and how to change.

Listen to an interview with Jennifer Shannon about CBT-I for insomnia on Dream Talk Radio with Anne Hill.