![]() ![]() When you catch yourself thinking these negative thoughts, practice positive self-talk. Noticing these types of thoughts is a skill that can be learned and developed. Automatic thoughts happen, well, automatically - so are difficult to control. Identifying negative or irrational thoughts can be challenging. If left unchecked, these thoughts can become automatic and hard to break away from. These thoughts are natural but can leave you more agitated and make it even harder to sleep. ![]() “At this rate, I’ll only get a couple of hours of sleep.”.“If I don’t fall asleep right now, I’ll be exhausted tomorrow.”.When you’re having trouble falling asleep, you might find yourself thinking things like: Positive self-talk (cognitive restructuring) Positive self-talk and calming your mind are two cognitive strategies to treat your insomnia and think your way to sleep. You should also avoid daytime napping and get out of your bed at night if you don’t feel sleepy, which helps your mind associate your bed with sleep.īut CBT’s other focus is “cognitive” - your thinking. They include going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, relaxing before bed, avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and evening, and exercising regularly. You may already be familiar with many of these practices. In the case of insomnia, this means forming routines that encourage sleep. Mastering just a few CBT-I changes initially may be easier than trying too many all at once, which can get overwhelming and be counterproductive.Īs explained in the name cognitive behavioral therapy, one aspect of CBT focuses on changing behaviors. As with anything new, it takes consistent effort and even some patience to see results. CBT-I can be used with or without sleep medications, though when used on its own, you get away from medication downsides and side effects. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the preferred first line treatment for chronic insomnia disorder.ĬBT-I empowers you to be your own coach by addressing thoughts and behaviors that are interfering with sleep. You may feel stuck in a pattern of sleepless nights and extremely tired days, but chronic insomnia is actually treatable - though not necessarily by reaching for a sleeping pill. If this happens for at least three months, it’s chronic insomnia. If you’ve been having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or have been waking up too early and can’t fall back asleep, you have insomnia. You have to be up before 7 a.m., meaning that you’ll get less than five hours of sleep - at best.Īt this point, you’re super stressed about falling asleep, and your mind is racing: Why does this keep happening? I’m going to feel so awful tomorrow. You’ve been lying in bed, awake, for over three hours. ![]()
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