How to Fall Asleep Faster: CBT-Insomnia Treatment

Summary

In this video, therapist Emma McAdam explains the causes of chronic insomnia and offers an effective solution based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI). She highlights how staying in bed awake, whether due to stress, anxiety, or other factors, can condition the brain to associate the bed with worry, making it harder to sleep. Emma emphasizes the importance of getting out of bed after 15 minutes of wakefulness and performing non-stimulating activities to retrain the brain. This technique, although challenging at first, is shown to improve sleep efficiency, reduce stress, and enhance cognitive function over time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Chronic insomnia is often caused by a bad habit of staying in bed awake, rather than external factors like stress or caffeine.
• 😀 The bed should be associated with sleeping, not worrying, working, or watching shows, to avoid reinforcing poor sleep habits.
• 😀 CBTI (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is an effective, evidence-based treatment with up to 80% success in improving sleep.
• 😀 Staying in bed awake trains the brain that the bed is for worrying, leading to difficulty falling asleep and poor sleep quality.
• 😀 If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes, it's best to get out of bed and do something calming until you feel drowsy.
• 😀 The method of getting out of bed to retrain the brain helps improve sleep efficiency by associating the bed with sleep alone.
• 😀 In the short term, you may feel more tired, but in the long run, this method improves sleep efficiency and overall sleep quality.
• 😀 Sleep efficiency refers to the percentage of time spent in bed actually sleeping, which can be improved by retraining your brain to sleep better.
• 😀 By following this method, you'll fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and reduce the frustration of not sleeping.
• 😀 CBTI not only improves sleep, but it also leads to better cognitive functioning, reduced stress, and improved memory.
• 😀 While retraining your brain may take some time, it is highly effective for treating insomnia and improving long-term sleep quality.

Q & A

What is chronic insomnia typically caused by?

Chronic insomnia is most commonly caused by a bad habit, specifically staying in bed while awake. This trains the brain to associate the bed with being awake and anxious, rather than sleeping.

Why is staying in bed while awake harmful for insomnia?

Staying in bed awake is harmful because it creates a paired association in the brain, similar to Pavlov's dogs. The brain starts to associate the bed with worrying or thinking, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

What is CBTI, and how does it help treat insomnia?

CBTI (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is an evidence-based treatment that helps retrain the brain for better sleep. It has shown up to 80% effectiveness in treating insomnia by addressing negative sleep habits and cognitive patterns.

What should you do if you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes in bed?

If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes, you should get out of bed and do something that is not too stimulating. Once you start feeling drowsy, return to bed to try falling asleep again.

Why does the suggestion to get out of bed sound miserable, but work in the long run?

While it may feel unpleasant and tiring in the short term, getting out of bed retrains your brain to associate the bed with sleep, leading to better sleep efficiency and quicker sleep onset in the long term.

What is sleep efficiency, and how does it relate to the treatment for insomnia?

Sleep efficiency refers to the percentage of time spent in bed actually sleeping. The treatment for insomnia, including getting out of bed if you can’t sleep, aims to improve sleep efficiency by reducing time spent awake in bed.

How does getting out of bed help build up sleep pressure?

Getting out of bed and waiting until you feel drowsy helps to build up 'sleep pressure,' which is the feeling of tiredness that encourages sleep. This makes it easier to fall asleep once you return to bed.

How does CBTI retrain the brain to sleep better?

CBTI helps retrain the brain by changing the associations we have with the bed and sleep. It also helps regulate the brain’s cognitive patterns around sleep, which leads to improved sleep quality and cognitive functioning.

What are some of the benefits observed in people who undergo CBTI?

Studies show that people who undergo CBTI experience improved cognitive functioning, reduced stress, better memory, and most importantly, better sleep quality.

What is a paired association in the context of insomnia treatment?

A paired association is when the brain links a specific place or activity with certain feelings or behaviors. In the case of insomnia, the brain may link the bed with worrying or thinking, making it harder to fall asleep.