How to help Insomnia?
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is defined as the inability for individuals to achieve satisfactory and satisfying sleep, (both in quality and quantity), over an extended period of time, causing a significant impairment to their daily life functioning. There are various possible factors that may influence the onset of insomnia, some common examples of these include:
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Environmental factors
- Physical (medical) or psychological conditions
- Family history
- Ingestion of various substances or foods
Any of these factors may help to trigger an individual’s insomnia, and due to their inability to attain the quality sleep they need, they develop particular thoughts and actions in their attempt to counteract their rising frustration and anxiety. Over time, these thoughts and behaviours become more and more fixed, only to reinforce their unhealthy sleeping patterns. In an effort to remedy their sleep deprivation, many people turn to (and become reliant on) various substances including alcohol, drugs, and various sleeping medications, in their false held belief that their insomnia is caused and can be cured by external properties.
What are the symptoms?
Some common signs indicative of insomnia include:
- Inability to sleep over a prolonged period
- Feeling distressed and frustrated about sleeping
- Inability to concentrate during the day due to continual lack of sleep
- Taking sleeping medications or other substances to assist falling asleep
- Experiencing broken, light sleep (eg waking up excessively during the night)
- Feeling continually tired upon waking, causing a negative impact on daily performance, work, or relationships
- Heightened irritability and frustration in everyday situations due to lack of sleep
What are the treatment options?
While sleeping pills may seem like an attractive option for many suffering from insomnia for the (deceivingly) immediate results they boast, the most successful treatment, proving to provide long-term results involves Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
This psychotherapeutic approach, as opposed to alternative options including the multitude of medications on the market, addresses insomnia from its underlying internal causes – based around the idea of restructuring unhelpful and distorted thoughts (cognitions) and habits (behaviours) that have developed over time in relation to sleep.
What are some examples of distorted thoughts and behaviours that develop with insomnia?
- Negative thoughts about sleep
- Feeling like you have no control or power over your sleep
- Poor lifestyle choices, including lack of exercise & exposure to sunlight
- Associating sleep with anxiety, fear, and frustration
- Trying to force sleep (eg: going to bed early or late, or sleeping in to regain missed sleep)
Why is CBT so effective?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy treats individuals with insomnia from the inside out– meaning the underlying causes, (which are learnt thoughts and behaviours only reinforcing their insomnia) are firstly identified, and then addressed by re-establishing and learning new productive ways of thinking and behaving. Research on CBT for insomnia highlights its phenomenal success rate, finding that 75% of patients receive improved sleep, 85-90% reduce or eliminate the need for sleeping pills, and the majority of cases resume normal sleeping routines.
What is the treatment we offer at Anxiety House in Brisbane?
At Anxiety House, we run a five week Cognitive Behavioural Therapy program (CBT-I) for treating insomnia, teaching individuals that are having difficulty sleeping how to strengthen their sleeping system to see long-term improvements. The program involves an initial assessment of the individual, followed by five, two hour long sessions that are spaced out over a six week period. The initial assessment establishes the individual’s sleep history, including their:
- Current sleeping pattern
- Cognitive & behavioural factors (thoughts/habits) that are causing their insomnia
- Lifestyle & environmental factors that may be affecting their sleep
- Physical & psychological issues (both past and present)
The five sessions involve:
Stage one: Sleep education and cognitive restructuring for insomnia
Stage two: Sleep medication withdrawal and sleep scheduling techniques
Stage three: Stimulus control techniques
Stage four: The relaxation response
Stage five: Sleep hygiene techniques
If you would like any more information on our CBT-I program please don’t hesitate to call us on
07 3041 1164 or email us at admin@anxietyhouse.com.au
What is your experience?
- Six years’ experience in clinical practice
- Clinical supervisor of university students
- Worked in public and private sectors for many years
- Worked in outpatients units
- Researcher and presenter at national conferences
- Neuropsychology and clinical psychology speciality
- Development of a treatment manual for individuals with brain injury, tumour and learning difficulties
Dr Daphne Bryan – Clinical Psychologist
What is your experience?
- Completed a doctorate in the treatment of anxiety in children
- Trained as an accredited Triple P Facilitator
- Completed skin picking and hair pulling program through the OCD LA Centre
- Delivered CBT and ACT group programs
- Written a number of programs on cyber bullying and improving self-esteem
- Worked in inpatient and outpatient settings
- Presented her research at the AACBT conference
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