Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions. Connecting thoughts, emotions, and behavior, CBT aims to reshape negative (patterns of) thoughts and emotions to reduce negative behaviors.

People often know CBT as treating depression and anxiety disorders. However, one form, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), aims to treat insomnia. This fits with my previous description of insomnia as a behavioral disorder.

CBT-I represents the most effective, scientifically supported treatment1 we have for insomnia. The American College of Physicians recommends CBT-I as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. In general (at least as I, not-quite-an-expert, understand CBT-I), we want to:

  1. Re-establish our healthy habits and attitudes around sleep
  2. Connect our sleeping environment to our body's drive to sleep
  3. Disconnect our sleeping environment from the anxious associations we'd formed related to sleep

I don't want to claim expertise I don't have, so feel free to consult this guide from this behavioral sleep therapist.

  1. The most effective non-medication treatment - "[i]f CBT-I alone is not successful in improving the symptoms of insomnia, the American College of Physicians recommends having a discussion with a doctor about the risks and benefits of using sleep medications alongside CBT-I treatment. ↩︎