Slumbered Sleep

The cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)
used to treat insomnia (CBT-i) focuses
on maladaptive behaviors and ideas
that may have arisen as a result of or
contributed to the development of the
insomnia. The gold standard for treating
insomnia is CBT-i, which has effect sizes
that are comparable to those seen
with hypnotic medications and, unlike
hypnotics, maintains its effects even
after therapy has ended. CBT-i is often
given in four to ten sessions, either oneon-one
or in a group environment, with
ideally four to eight participants. A reconditioning
procedure called stimulus
control forces people to distinguish between
waking and sleeping situations.
20 The bedroom conjures up memories
of being awake and aroused for those
who have trouble falling asleep. All potential
sleep-incompatible stimuli must
be eliminated as part of treatment.
The entire day and into the early hours
of the evening, patients are advised to
practice relaxation techniques. It helps
to spend even a short time two to four
times every day. One key component of
treating insomnia is educating the patient
about the need of bright light and
sleep. Self-management can be started
with the support of accurate, unbiased
knowledge about sleep, sleep loss,
and the body clock. The circadian clock
of humans can be effectively synchronized
by bright light. Nighttime sleep
and the reduction of morning sleep
inertia can be especially facilitated by
morning light, which can be paired with
movement such as walking. In order to
help patients better control and cope
with their insomnia symptoms, CBT-i
is an effective long-term intervention.
(Cunnington, 2013)
Figure 40
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