Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: The deep dive

How important is light? What should you do if you have lost confidence in your ability to sleep?

Do you have trouble sleeping? Can’t sleep? Have questions about insomnia or sleep? Please leave a comment or send an email:

I will be happy to share my thoughts as a video reply in an Ask Daniel episode.

If you want to connect elsewhere I’m on Twitter @ErichsenDaniel, Instagram @Erichsen.Daniel, Facebook as Daniel Erichsen.

Would you like to work with me? Awesome! I would love a chance to help you sleep fantastic. There are three ways we can work together:

- BedTyme, a sleep coaching app for iOS and Android.
- Buy my book Set it & Forget it on Amazon. It includes a cell phone number where you can send questions.

The self coaching program is perfect if you like learning through video and also if have mental wellness goals besides such has being less anxious.

BedTyme is ideal if you like to learn via text and have a sleep coach in your pocket.

Not sure where to start? Check out these playlists!

This is natto - the perfect place to start learning!

Success stories - if you need hope and inspiration, this is for you.

Insomnia insight - a list of every single episode.

Talking insomnia - guests with trouble sleeping or experts share their stories / tips.

Hypnic jerks, hypnic awareness and other common issues.

Fatal insomnia - for those concerned about ffi and sfi.

The self coaching model

Best!

This content does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.

[aspectandeyesasmr]

Such valuable information on this topic! Thank you so much for this video. Virtually none of this information is generally available through medical practitioners whose first line of treatment for patients complaining of insomnia SHOULD be CBTi but instead is prescribing sleep medication!. Usually a person can only find the type of solid information presented here when they do search on their own for help. I found this video and am very grateful. I just started CBTi myself recently. This video filled in some gaps in my knowledge of the subject and I now feel more empowered to proceed toward my goal of successful sleep. When one feels empowered - more in control of a situation - it lessens the feeling of overwhelming helplessness that so often can accompany (and perpetuate!) insomnia and goes a long way toward increasing hope and the confidence in one's own ability to sleep, which is a VITAL component to successfully overcoming insomnia. That is an invaluable gift I got from this video. Thank you!

[robinm]

Great talks here folks, very insightful. I'v started to use some CBT-I techniques myself since a couple of weeks ago, and I've seen promising results so far. I'll definitely keep practising it. Thanks for putting together this talk, great help!

[jauhochang]

Love this talk here. Awesome guys, just awesome!

[SashaStreams]

Not listening to any guided meditations, any sleep music, anything design to aid sleep has helped me but listening to this helped me to fall asleep 🙏 thank you sooo much!
The bit about sleep naturally occurring and us only being able to do things to relax was so eye opening. Thanks again 🙏

[PAHinCHGO]

Thanks!!! I saw a sleep specialist today, I'm starting tonight. Nervous but hopeful. I've watched this video twice, and I find it so helpful and reassuring. You guys rock.

[DT-]

I found CBTi in early 2018 when I had 2-3 months of waking up 2 or 3 hours early almost every night. It was very stressful but the therapy (I was lucky to find a local psychologist that offered the CBTi program) and the book Say Goodnight to Insomnia (which it’s all based on) educated me about sleep and it really helped. I started sleeping great in week 5-6. Slept great until a month ago. Now I am experiencing trouble getting to sleep. I’m doing everything (getting out of bed after 20-30 minutes of not being able to get to sleep, relaxation exercises, trying to eliminate negative sleep thoughts, no caffeine, no alcohol, keeping bedtime and wake time consistent, etc.) and I’m still struggling. I’ve revisited my CBTi counselor and we are going to work back through the program. I trust it will work again but it is frustrating how it just reoccurs for virtually no reason. I’m not stressed and I’m not worried about anything. But I guess it doesn’t matter why it is happening. I just have to stay positive and work the program.

[antoniaperkins-cyrz]

Hopefully this helps someone but i would get anxiety over sleep hygiene. I found it helpful to tell myself that it was ok if i didn't sleep but to just lay down and rest. It took so much pressure off of sleep and helped me calm down and go to sleep. I prayed and asked God to guide me and this is something he gave me insight to.

[noperson]

Excellent talk, super nice guys and it completely woke me to the truth about Insomnia. Cant thank enough!!

[christinaruiz]

I’ve been told to do the sleep hygiene. I think it put more pressure on me than help me.

[lisbethmajchrowski]

You are right about contacting primary doctors about your cbti methods. However, let us know where we can go to cbti clinics. Thank you for your wellness passion!! Social Media definitely helps!!

[SashaStreams]

Focusing on sleep hygiene and mastering that, with the belief that; if I do it well enough I should be able to sleep, has been making me a lot worse.

[lisbethmajchrowski]

Yes let the insurance companies know about your cbti clinics, please !!

[sophiawidmer]

I’m 16 years old. And recently I’ve been having the worst sleep troubles for the past few weeks. It got so bad that I wouldn’t sleep for a whole night and then sleep 10 hours the next night. It all began the night before my drivers test. I got so very nervous that I did an all-nighter, which then kick started my sleep problems. School for me started back up for me two weeks ago. I don’t know if I was just being scared to see kids my age in person you know. But I was so nervous that I woke up at 4 am multiple times the first week of school. After that I kept anticipating waking up at that time that I kept worrying about it. I went to the doctor and they prescribed this medication which I’ve been taking the past 2 days. It was a huge mistake, I feel depressed and like a zombie. Tonight I’m not going to take it. I just keep worrying about sleep over and over again about sleep.

[ItgirlAI]

At 1:27:49-50 ish~recommend what? GREAT information, TY 😴 💤

[TheMichelebode]

You fellows are incredible. Great information and presented in a very relaxed and comfortable setting. I am in my second round of sleep restriction and doing very well. My first attempt was for 2 weeks in January 2019. It didn’t go well. I had so very little information about CBTI which proved to be a problem. I am now in week 7 or 8 and am having amazing results. Thank you so very much. Knowledge is power.

[Dolce]

Incredibly knowledgeable information, thank you and God bless! Can you guys tackle insomnia caused by Covid as a long hauler symptom. It’s so new and most doctors say sleep hygiene of course. Will CBT-I work since the virus enters the brain blood barrier....

[georginarandolphgirl]

I am a night owl and also have depression and anxiety disorder and take medication but I still have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I work evenings thankfully. I had a full hysterectomy over 8 years ago but I have been on bioidentical hormones for over a year. My antidepressant is suppose to help with sleep but it doesn't. I sometimes have to take anxiety medication to give me the extra nudge to go to sleep.

[donaldstokes.]

Great conversation.What do you do if someone seems to have anxiety and it’s related to high cortisol levels especially at night fight or flight mode.Thanks Don.

[terrymunn]

I have been diagnosed with anxiety approximatly 5 weeks ago and sleep prior to that i slept pretty well.Currently I am having trouble staying asleep more than a few hrs .I can fall asleep but wake up in a couple hours and im sweaty (probably due to anxiety which is fueled....well i cannot sleep)I just lay there and think.would you suggest getting out of bed and reading or something until i get sleepy.My concern is i may be sitting up the remainder of the night.

[nildamarcelo]

I just started CBT-I week 1 and I like it because of no pills/ supplement and I am looking to have a restorative and restful nights ahead