Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Helping Treat Idiopathic Insomnia

Since idiopathic insomnia may start during childhood, it is essential to get help from cognitive behavioral therapies. Setting your mind into some things and techniques will help you solve the sleeping disorder.

We have heard of cognitive behavioral therapies for psychological disorders. However, don’t you know that these can also be used for sleep disorders? The article below will discuss why cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful for treating idiopathic insomnia.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy which helps an individual identify undesirable behaviors and alter or modify these with healthier ones. When used with patients with sleep disorders, therapists will help these individuals modify their behaviors in order to normalize their sleep-wake pattern. It helps them develop habits to promote healthier sleep patterns.

Most common cognitive behavioral therapies for idiopathic insomnia

In treating idiopathic insomnia, several cognitive behavioral therapies are being used. The most common examples which help combat the sleeping disorder are:

A. Stimulus Control. This technique uses stimulus to get a positive response when you get to bed. It is recommended to individuals who toss and turn during sleep. Since you get frustrated when you are unable to sleep, you can get out of bed and read or watch a TV program. When you feel sleepy again, you get back on bed. Over time, this will make it quicker for you to get to sleep because of the positive response.

B. Sleep Restriction. This therapy involves depriving yourself from sleep for the first night. The next night, you feel sleepier due to the lack of sleep you had the night before. It helps patients to stop using sleeping pills in order to get some sleep.

C. Relaxation Training and Biofeedback. This involves activities that teach you to relax your mind and body. It releases your tension and keeps you worry free. It involves a training on muscle relaxation, breathing and mental focusing. In order to get positive results through this therapy, focusing and concentration is essential. These are helpful for people who are depressed or who worry too much during bedtime.

D. Cognitive Control and Psychotherapy. This therapy helps you develop identify attitudes that hinder your sleep. You learn ways to be positive and overcome negative thoughts. You set a worry time on a specific time of the day so you won’t be thinking about it on your bedtime. Guided imagery or thinking of a story relaxes your mind and lets you go to sleep quicker than you think.

E. Sleep Hygiene Training. This therapy involves activities that will correct your habits that disrupt your sleep pattern. To see improvements on your sleep pattern, it is advisable to modify all your bad sleep habits.

Frustration is observed in clients who expect results right away. Before the therapy begins, it should be reiterated that CBT requires time and effort for results to arise. Constant practice is essential. CBT is not a quick fix solution to improve your sleep problem.
People who suffer insomnia are often recommended to have a cognitive behavioral therapy. Another sleep disorder, a mental disorder or a medication may cause insomnia. If your case involves these three, the root cause should be treated first. Sometimes insomnia can be chronic and complex and a combination of medication and CBT is required.

Tags: biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, idiopathic insomnia, insomnia, sleep hygiene, sleep restriction, stimulus control

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