Evidence-Based Treatment for Chronic Insomnia
Chronic insomnia—difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early, occurring most nights and lasting more than three months—affects a significant portion of the adult population. Left unaddressed, persistent poor sleep can affect mood, cognitive performance, physical health, and quality of life.
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the most rigorously studied psychological treatment for chronic insomnia and is recommended as the first-line intervention by major sleep medicine and psychiatric organizations.
What CBT-I Involves
A course of CBT-I at our clinic typically includes the following components, tailored to your individual sleep history:
- Sleep restriction therapy: A counterintuitive but effective technique that temporarily consolidates sleep time to rebuild sleep drive and reduce wakefulness.
- Stimulus control: Re-establishing a reliable association between the bed and sleep, rather than wakefulness or anxiety.
- Cognitive restructuring: Identifying and revising unhelpful beliefs about sleep that perpetuate the insomnia cycle—such as catastrophic thinking about the consequences of a poor night.
- Sleep hygiene: Targeted, individualized recommendations (not generic checklists) that address your specific patterns.
- Relaxation strategies: Techniques to reduce physiological and cognitive arousal at bedtime when appropriate.
Who This Program Is For
CBT-I is appropriate for adults experiencing:
- Chronic difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep
- Significant distress or impairment from poor sleep
- Insomnia persisting despite good sleep hygiene practices
- Sleep difficulties occurring alongside anxiety, depression, or other conditions (CBT-I can be adapted for comorbid presentations)
CBT-I is also well-suited for individuals who prefer not to rely on sleep medication, or who want to reduce medication use over time. Any changes to sleep medications should be discussed with your prescribing physician.
What to Expect
Your first appointment includes a thorough sleep history and review of any relevant medical or psychological factors affecting your sleep. You will likely be asked to keep a brief sleep diary during the program—this is a central tool for tracking progress and guiding session content.
This page describes the general program structure. Your treatment plan will be individualized based on your history and goals.