What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is a structured, evidence-based treatment designed to help individuals overcome chronic sleep difficulties.
It is focused on identifying and changing the thoughts and behaviors that interfere with healthy sleep, and it is recognized as the first-line treatment for insomnia by the American College of Physicians and other leading medical organizations.
Unlike sleep medications, CBT-I does not rely on medication to improve sleep. Instead, it equips you with practical tools to address the underlying causes of poor sleep and to establish long-term, restorative sleep habits.
Through this process, CBT-I helps you retrain both your mind and body to achieve more consistent, restful sleep.
A typical CBT-I program includes:
- Sleep education: Learning about the factors that influence sleep and how insomnia develops.
- Sleep hygiene: Developing healthy routines and environmental conditions that support better sleep.
- Cognitive strategies: Identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts and worries that contribute to sleeplessness.
- Behavioral techniques: Implementing strategies such as sleep restriction and stimulus control to strengthen the connection between bed and sleep.
- Relaxation training and mindfulness: Learning ways to calm the body and mind before bedtime.
Most individuals begin to notice improvement within several weeks, and research shows that the benefits of CBT-I are often long-lasting, continuing well beyond the end of treatment.