Do you dread going to bed at night because you worry you won't fall asleep? Are you exhausted from another night of not getting enough sleep? If this is an ongoing issue, it might be something to address. Insomnia impacts many individuals and can be identified when you have ongoing problems falling and/or staying asleep. Some common signs of insomnia are:
- Struggling to fall asleep.
- Waking up a lot in the middle of the night.
- Waking up early and not being able to fall back asleep.
- Having a hard time focusing in school or at work.
- Feeling irritable.
- Having low daytime energy.
The good news is there are ways to help insomnia! One of the best is called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia or CBT-I. CBT-I teaches you new habits to help you sleep better. Some things CBT-I may have you work on are:
- Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
- Making lifestyle changes to help your sleep.
- Learning ways to calm your body and mind before bed.
- Figuring out worries that keep you awake and how to deal with them.
There are also practical tips that you can make right away to greatly improve sleep:
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, simple, and clean.
- Don’t use technology at least 1 hour before bed.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco before bedtime.
- Get regular exercise, but finish 1 hour before bedtime.
CBT-I takes work, but it can really pay off. Studies have shown that CBT-I is more effective than sleep medicine as a solution for insomnia and the skills you learn last long after you finish CBT-I.
By taking control of sleep, you take control of your emotional health too. Learn to Live's Insomnia program uses the science of CBT-I to improve sleep by helping make long lasting changes, so you won't have to dread bedtime anymore.
