Could “Adult Sleep Training” Ease Your Insomnia?

The Trend: Chronic poor sleep not only makes us feel terrible, but may also raise our risk of many chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, obesity, and depression. As the importance of sleep quality for overall health becomes clearer, people are getting more proactive about tackling their sleep problems. Some who really struggle with insomnia are turning to “adult sleep training.” 

What People Are Saying: The formal term for this practice is cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I is sleep-specific CBT — both are evidence-based psychotherapy practices. CBT-I works by helping you reshape your thoughts and behaviors around sleep in order to build sleep pressure and make slumber come easier. There are five components to CBT-I, including stimulus control (like associating your bed with sleep, not watching TV) and sleep restriction (resisting the urge to catch up on sleep or go to bed before a prearranged bedtime).

What to Know: Unlike a sleep supplement, CBT-I is not a quick, occasional fix. It can lead to long-lasting improvements in symptoms, but it requires consistent effort and therapist guidance.