CBT-I – Insomnia Center

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for
Insomnia (CBT-I)?

CBT-I examines the connection between a person’s thoughts, behavior, and sleep. During treatment, Dr. Rosenblum will identify the factors that contribute to your insomnia—and implement empirically-backed techniques to address them.

Why is CBT-I preferred over sleep medications?

The goal of CBT-I is to get to the root cause of insomnia and attempt to cure it. In comparison, medications only address insomnia symptoms—meaning they address just one night of sleep. As a result, some people who use medications for chronic insomnia take them indefinitely.

Techniques Involved In CBT-I

Sleep Restriction

In sleep restriction, people with insomnia are asked to initially restrict or shorten the amount of time they spend in bed. As their sleep improves, they can gradually increase the amount of time they stay in bed.

Stimulus Control

Stimulus control resembles the process of sleep training an infant. Basically, it attempts to reestablish the association between your bed and sleepiness.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene involves engaging in sleep-promoting behaviors and maintaining an environment conducive to sound sleep. Check out our “Helpful Sleep Tips” for suggestions on how to optimize your sleep environment.

Relaxation Skills Training

People who feel anxious or stressed out understandably face challenges when trying to fall asleep. Relaxation skills training refers to the exercises or techniques that can reduce anxiety as one attempts to sleep.

Cognitive Reframing

Cognitive reframing is an integral part of the CBT-I process. It involves modifying dysfunctional beliefs or fears about sleeping, the consequences of not sleeping, and other important factors.