At each challenge, I've said, "This is what I've been training for."
Having trouble sleeping?
How's your sleep?
Reach Fit Life now offers Sleep and Recovery Coaching
based on the world's best-rated program for sleep improvement, CBT-I, or,
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. CBT-I is known as the most effective
insomnia treatment--better than even the best sleeping pills.
In a published research article titled,
Comparative effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a systematic review,
by Matthew D Mitchell, et.al., the conclusion was clear:
"CBT-I is effective for treating insomnia when compared with medications, and its effects may be more durable than medications. Primary care providers should consider CBT-I as a first-line treatment option for insomnia".
You may ask yourself, why am I just hearing about this?
And, If it's so great, how come doctors, and health systems
aren't offering it to their patients? Well, they are--in some cases--and I'm glad you asked.
As Dr. Gregg Jacobs, PH.D. explains in, Say Good Night to Insomnia--and I am paraphrasing somewhat,
"doctors aren't trained to diagnose or treat insomnia...doctors receive less than an hour of training in medical school. Additionally, modern medicine is focused on a drug-oriented approach which is understandable
when it is applied to infectious and acute diseases".
"Modern health systems are not built to handle the chronic health problems in which factors such as
emotional, behavioral, and lifestyle, are so prominent. Insomnia, or difficulty sleeping, is among them
along with chronic pain, cancer, mental illness, and others."
Article link: Comparative effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy...
Our CBT-I coaching is based on the program by one of the founders of the movement,
Dr. Gregg Jacobs, P.H.D, called, Conquering Insomnia CBT-I Program.
We offer both Individual and Group Coaching opportunities,
based on your individual needs and preferences.
One of the major issues with CBT-I has simply been that of education, or the lack of it.
The movement simply needs more people telling the story, to help raise awareness.
Sometimes, the ability to make money tells the story of why CBT-I is not top-of-mind for people:
The budget for the CBT-I movement is basically non-existent, while the global market for
sleeping-related pills and medicines is upwards of $78.39 Billion dollars in 2022--
with advertising dollars to match--and is expected to reach 126.92 Billion by 2031,
according to Straits Research (Link).
Sleep is nature's best attempt at "contra-death", as Dr. Matthew Walker describes in, Why We Sleep.
It is the best recovery method for tough workouts, a hard day's work, an extra long study session for an exam,
or simply just for feeling rested when you wake up.
CBT-I is your opportunity to reclaim the best tool you have, to live your best life, that of great sleep.
Join me, will you?
Simply click on the Chat box, or request more information and I'll send out
the Sleep History Questionnaire to get you started today, on your best night's sleep.
what is cbt-i?
Why CBT-I?
Does CBT-I work for anyone having difficulties sleeping, along with those suffering from Insomnia?
The answer is a resounding, yes. CBT-I can benefit nearly anyone with sleep problems. Further, according to the Mayo Clinic, "the positive effects of CBT-I seem to last, and there is no evidence that CBT-I has harmful side effects."
Here are some links:
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine, New guideline supports behavioral, psychological treatments for insomnia
- Consumer Reports: How to Fall Asleep the Natural Way
- Mayo CLinic: Insomnia treatment: Cognitive Behavioral therapy instead of sleeping pills.
How Does CBT-I Work?
CBT-I focuses on exploring the connection between the way we think, the things we do, and how we sleep. During treatment, a trained CBT-I provider helps to identify thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are contributing to the symptoms of insomnia. CBT-I is often called a multi-component treatment because it combines several different approaches. Sessions may include cognitive, behavioral, and educational components.
Thoughts and feelings about sleep are examined and tested to see if they’re accurate, while behaviors are examined to determine if they promote sleep. As a provider coach, we will then clarify or reframe misconceptions and challenges in a way that is more conducive to restful sleep. Treatment often takes from 6-8 sessions. (1. )
Is CBT-I Effective?
When these techniques are used together as multicomponent CBT-I, as many as 70% to 80% of patients with primary insomnia experience improvements. Benefits include less time to fall asleep, more time spent asleep, and waking up less during sleep. (2.) Results are often maintained over time.
- Pigeon W. R. (2010). Treatment of adult insomnia with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Journal of clinical psychology, 66(11), 1148–1160.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20853442/ - Trauer, J. M., Qian, M. Y., Doyle, J. S., Rajaratnam, S. M., & Cunnington, D. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of internal medicine, 163(3), 191–204.
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M14-2841
NOTE: An excellent source of information on CBT-I, Sleep, and associated subjects is Dr. Matthew Walker's website, Sleep Foundation. Dr. Walker wrote the landmark book on sleep titled, Why We Sleep (Amazon Link). His book turns the question of why we sleep, on its head, and he asks: When the benefits of sleep are so overwhelming, why do we even need to wake up?
More about Matthew Walker:
Matthew Walker, Ph.D.
Matthew Walker, Ph.D., is professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and founder and director of the school’s Center for Human Sleep Science. Walker is the author of The New York Times and international bestseller Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. His TED Talk “Sleep is Your Superpower” has garnered more than 16 million views. He has received numerous funding awards from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health and is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences. Walker’s research examines the impact of sleep on human health and disease. He has been featured on numerous television and radio outlets, including CBS’ “60 Minutes,” National Geographic Channel, NOVA Science, NPR, and the BBC. He is also host of The Matt Walker Podcast.
Learn More
Below are some general terms to know when learning more about CBT-I.
The key measures of sleep are
- sleep latency (how long it takes a person to fall asleep after going to bed),
- total sleep time (TST)
- time spent awake after sleep onset
- total wake time during the sleep period
- sleep efficiency (time in bed vs. time asleep)
CBT-I led to improvements of 30-45 minutes in sleep latency, and 30-60 minutes in TST, along with an improvement in sleep efficiency of 8-16 percent .
Terms to know...
Insomnia: A sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping, going to sleep, or waking during the night, and it is impacting their waking experiences by feeling tired, having low energy, feeing more easily irritated, and finally, the inability to sleep is causing people to have trouble with relationships, attention, concentration, memory, or performance at work or school. Insomnia is often a learned response that can be unlearned, through CBT-I.
Sleep Diary/Journal: Completed during the 6-week program to help your us dentify patterns of thoughts, behaviors, stressors, etc., which might be contributing to your insomnia or sleep difficulties.
Sleep Hygiene: Helps you control the controllables in your sleep environment and behaviors that support better sleep, such as lighting, reading before bed, television and blue-light exposure, late-night snacks and many more.
Sleep Control: The bed is associated with sleeping and sex, only. There are several habits encouraged, such as going to bed only when you're tired, and others.
Sleep Restriction: Probably the most challenging step of CBT-I. It is used to restore the homeostatic pattern in the late evening to sleep.
The longer explanation about insomnia and cbt-i
What is insomnia?
What is Insomnia and what can we do about it?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing non-refreshing sleep. These difficulties are clinically significant and have daytime consequences, such as distress about poor sleep, feelings of tiredness, low energy, increased irritability, trouble with attention, concentration, memory, relationships, or work/school performance.
How does chronic insomnia develop and persist over time?
There are three factors that contribute to the development of chronic insomnia: predisposing factors, precipitating events, and perpetuating mechanisms. Some individuals may have a predisposition or vulnerability to sleep difficulties. Stressful life events can act as precipitating events for sleep difficulties, especially in those who are predisposed to insomnia. In most cases, sleep difficulties resolve when the distress subsides. However, some people become excessively focused on their sleep problems, leading to heightened anxiety about sleep. This excessive attention, along with maladaptive strategies and habits intended to improve sleep, actually interfere with normal sleep. These perpetuating factors are the targets of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) . (Three factors of insomnia were developed by Arthur Spielman in 1987.)
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)?
CBT-I is a comprehensive treatment approach that addresses a person's sleep-related behaviors and thoughts. It consists of two behavioral components: sleep restriction, which aims to decrease wakefulness after sleep onset, and stimulus control, which strengthens the association between the bed and sleep. The cognitive component focuses on changing maladaptive sleep-related thoughts and beliefs that contribute to poor sleep quality. By addressing both behavior and cognition, CBT-I aims to improve the quantity and quality of sleep.
How effective is CBT-I?
Over 30 years of research has demonstrated the effectiveness of CBT-I for treating insomnia in various populations, including veterans. The VA co-sponsored development of CBT-I Program evaluations within the Veterans Health Administration which have shown CBT-I to be highly effective, comparable to results from randomized controlled trials. Direct comparisons with hypnotic medications have shown equivalent short-term efficacy and superior long-term efficacy of CBT-I after treatment ends. CBT-I is recommended as a first-line treatment for insomnia by the National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement and has been supported by several meta-analyses.
Who does CBT-I work for?
CBT-I has shown effectiveness in treating insomnia across different patient populations, including those with comorbid conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, and PTSD. Individuals with a history of problem drinking or drug use can participate in CBT-I as long as their substance use is stabilized or in remission. Many veterans who have undergone CBT-I have reported improvements in sleep and overall quality of life.
What does CBT for Insomnia involve?
CBT-I typically involves approximately six to eight weekly sessions, either in individual or group settings, lasting around 50 to 60 minutes for individuals or 90-120 minutes for groups. However, some people may see improvements with fewer sessions. The intervention is tailored to the individual's specific presentation based on case conceptualization. Patients are expected to maintain a daily sleep diary and follow the recommended treatment guidelines between sessions. Regular evaluation of progress is conducted, and adjustments are made to treatment goals as needed.
