We’ve all heard about how powerful positive thinking can be, and new research has shown that it might just be even more helpful than we realized when it comes to the very common issue of sleeplessness.
Whether you’re having trouble falling asleep or just can’t seem to stay that way, insomnia is on the rise amongst American adults, and health professionals in a variety of medical fields are becoming increasingly concerned about the long-term impact that it’s having on our overall well-being.
Luckily for us, researchers and sleep experts are coming up with new treatments and therapies to battle insomnia on an ever-increasing basis. One of these innovations in sleep health is a new type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) recommended by the American College of Physicians.
One of the biggest benefits of CBT-I is the fact that you might not have to wait to get an appointment with a trained therapist to reap the benefits – there is some very convincing data about the therapy that indicates internet-based programs can be just as effective a face-to-face counseling.
Online cognitive therapy for insomnia programs tend to be cheaper than in-person therapy sessions and typically come with the availability to keep track of your personal progress with the program through digital weekly sleep logs.
This is great news for the 1 in 10 Americans that suffer from insomnia, as well as the health professionals that are concerned with the negative effects that the disorder is having on the health of our nation as a whole, as the online CBT-I programs are making help much more accessible than the alternative of weekly visits to a therapist’s office.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia focuses on the power of positive thinking through a no-nonsense approach that targets solving the problems that have been linked to the source of insomnia in many sufferers – there’s no deep soul-searching involved, just a lot of solid information that will help you realign your thinking and habits when it comes to sleep.
CBT-I programs stress developing better sleep habits, also known as sleep hygiene, such as getting in and out of bed at the same time each day, not sleeping in more than 30 minutes on the weekend (even if you’re sleep deprived), and developing a regular bedtime routine. But the key element of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a cognitive restructuring of your thinking from the negative to the positive. C.B.T. teaches you to change your perceptions of any given situation, and replace the negative thoughts with positive ones.
Although health care providers want to make sure that those suffering from insomnia get the help that they needed in the easiest way possible, they also want to make sure that any and all underlying issues that could be causing the insomnia are identified and addressed, such as depression or anxiety, any undiagnosed sleep disorders like sleep apnea, or any other medical concern.
Even keeping that in mind, many CBT-I users have gained an average of an additional 20 minutes of sleep per night, as well was a marked improvement in their mood throughout the day, indicating that this new insomnia therapy just might be the solution to the common problem of sleepless nights for many of us.