CBT‑I for Insomnia Disorder

Educational content only. Rule out medical contributors with a clinician as needed. See our Medical Disclaimer.

Overview

Insomnia persists when the bed becomes associated with wakefulness and sleep effort ramps up arousal. CBT‑I retrains sleep cues and restores sleep drive.

Why CBT‑I helps

Stimulus control: use the bed only for sleep; leave the bed if awake >15–20 minutes.
Sleep scheduling: consistent wake time and time‑in‑bed aligned to average sleep.
Cognitive strategies: address catastrophic sleep thoughts and reduce sleep effort.

Journaling prompts

Sleep log: bedtime, wake time, time awake in bed, caffeine, naps, wind‑down.
When I noticed sleep effort, I shifted to… (breathing, neutral focus) and the effect was…
One cue that helps me wind down reliably is…

Track sleep patterns alongside thought records in How to Journal.

When to seek care

If insomnia persists, consider clinician‑guided CBT‑I and evaluation for other sleep disorders.