What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Why Should I Learn Mindfulness as Well?
If you've been struggling with poor sleep for a while, you're probably on the hunt for solutions to get a good night’s rest. It’s common to feel lost in this journey, especially when quick fixes like sleeping pills only provide short-term relief. Sure, they might knock you out for a few hours, but they don’t address the real underlying causes of insomnia. Worse yet, they often come with side effects that make matters even more challenging.
You may have also tried meditation apps or relaxation techniques. While these might have helped for a few nights, they often stop working. So, where do you turn next? If you've done some research on evidence-based treatments, you’ve likely come across cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). This is the most well-studied and recommended treatment for insomnia today, rooted in psychology.
What is CBT-I and How Can It Help?
CBT-I is a form of therapy that helps you change unhelpful sleep habits, behaviours, and thought patterns that interfere with sleep. The treatment works by addressing both the mind and body, helping to reduce tension, stress, and frustration, which are often linked to insomnia. The goal is to shift your thinking and behaviour around sleep, so your body learns how to relax more effectively.
To undergo CBT-I, you would typically work with a psychologist trained in this specific approach. However, since not all psychologists are trained in CBT-I, you might need to seek out someone with this specialty or explore online CBT-I courses or self-guided programs through books.
The Limits of CBT-I
While CBT-I is effective for many people, research shows that about 40% of individuals don't see significant improvement in their sleep after completing the treatment. This has puzzled scientists, but recent research has uncovered a possible explanation: the role of worry.
It turns out that individuals who didn't benefit from CBT-I were still spending a lot of time worrying and overthinking, much more than those who did improve. So, the question arises: Is their sleep not improving because they are worrying too much, or are they worrying because their sleep hasn’t improved?
Regardless of which comes first, one thing is clear—finding a way to calm that overactive, ruminating mind is key to better sleep. This is where mindfulness comes in.
The Power of Mindfulness for Sleep
Mindfulness is about becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations in the present moment, while adopting an attitude of acceptance. Instead of trying to force yourself to sleep, mindfulness teaches you to let go and remain calm, which paradoxically makes it easier to drift off.
There are many reasons mindfulness benefits sleep, but here are five key ways it can help:
1) Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Mindfulness calms the mind by focusing on the present, reducing the racing thoughts and worries that often disrupt sleep.
2) Improves Sleep Quality: By clearing mental clutter and fostering relaxation, mindfulness helps you stay asleep longer and wake up less during the night.
3) Promotes Emotional Regulation: Mindfulness helps you manage emotions better, which can prevent mood disturbances from affecting your sleep patterns.
4) Reduces Overthinking: Mindfulness trains the brain to step back from rumination, which is often a major barrier to falling asleep.
5) Encourages Relaxation: Practicing mindfulness helps trigger your body’s relaxation response, lowering heart rate and blood pressure—both essential for sleep.
Why Combine CBT-I with Mindfulness?
Recent studies suggest that combining mindfulness with CBT-I—referred to as MBTI (Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia)—can be just as effective, if not more so, than CBT-I alone. Early research shows that mindfulness enhances the benefits of CBT-I, leading to better sleep outcomes.
Here’s why MBTi might be a better option:
While more research is needed to compare the two treatments directly, MBTi offers a comprehensive approach to tackling insomnia—one that addresses both the psychological and physiological aspects of poor sleep.
Our Verdict: MBTI as the Best Long-Term Solution
Although CBT-I has proven to be an effective treatment, adding mindfulness into the mix seems to provide additional benefits for many individuals. Mindfulness not only helps reduce stress but also teaches you to let go of the need to control sleep, creating a more peaceful path toward restful nights.
Of course, no single treatment works for everyone. Some people may prefer a straightforward CBT-I approach, while others, especially those with an interest in meditation, may benefit from the more holistic approach of MBTi.
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Looking for more information?
You can find more information about insomnia here. And you can learn more about the influence of thinking on sleep in the related articles When the mind won’t stop thinking, just sit back and watch and Are you stuck with insomnia, chronic fatigue or anxiety?