New Year, New Me, New Sleep

Ahhhh, the fresh newness of the turn of the year (and decade)! Welcome 2020! There is something so magical about this transition. We tap into a deeper, committed part of ourselves that says to self, “self, this will be the time you will finally do FILL IN THE BLANK and you will stick to it this time.” All that optimism can be so inspiring, can’t it!?

It can also be incredibly deflating when, often inevitably, New Year’s resolutions peter out. And let’s be honest, the whole idea behind a New Year’s resolution is designed to peter out, isn’t it? I mean, change just doesn’t work by making massive, transformational changes over night. Instead, change works by taking small, incremental steps that lead to sustainably building lasting change. The changes can be so small that initially it can feel like we haven’t made change at all.

So what does this have to do with sleep? Well, you can make small, incremental changes to your sleep that over time build up to lasting and persistent change. It just takes the first small step, and then over time you will feel mastery over your sleep again.

How so, do you ask? Is there some fancy supplement, or oil, or *gasp* medication I have to take to see this change? Why no, dear reader, I’m speaking of a highly effective, powerful treatment that doesn’t require medications or oils or anything else that might have you crossing your fingers and “hoping” it will cure your insomnia. The therapy is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). It’s not like the therapy that most of us imagine when we think of therapy. It’s a very active treatment that trains you to shift both your thinking and your habits around sleep. 

And yes, it does take some work and a fair amount of motivation. But the key thing: IT WORKS! And we work to make the changes gradually, so that it feels sustainable for the long-term.  70-80% of patients in research on CBT-I report benefiting from the treatment, experiencing a reduction in the amount of time it takes to fall asleep or the amount of time awake in the middle of the night. The vast majority increase their total sleep time. The quality of sleep improves, too (meaning: you’ll feel more rested during the day).  

So, if you’re sick of the same ole’ routine, not being able to fall asleep initially when you hit the sack, or finding yourself bright-eyed in the dark of night, make a decision to take one small step and reach out to me today. We can talk more about whether CBT-I is a fit for you!