Those that suffer with poor sleep will know there’s an abundance of information out there advising us on how to improve it. 

From the huge list of sleep hygiene tips that appear when searching ‘how to sleep better’ on Google, to doctors prescribing sleeping pills, it can be tricky to know what to try first and where to turn. 

However, there’s one fix that has been proven to work in a number of studies over the past 25 years. When you develop insomnia, it’s not cutting out coffee and taking tablets that’s going to provide a long-term solution, it’s CBT for insomnia (CBT-i). 

Looking at our circadian rhythm, creating a higher sleep drive, tackling our beliefs about sleep and anxiety and exploring our internal system, CBT-i is far more than a programme of sleep hygiene, but how effective is it?

Well, to start, a study recently published in the Journal of Sleep found that whilst COVID-19 significantly contributed to insomnia symptoms, those who had previously received CBT-i reported fewer symptoms, less general stress and depression, less COVID-related cognitive intrusions and better global health than those who simply received sleep education. 

Furthermore, the odds for returning insomnia were 51% lower in those who’d received CBT-i versus the control group, and the odds of moderate to severe depression during COVID-19 were 57% lower for those in the CBT-i group.

The effectiveness of CBT-I is exactly why this is the method we follow at The Insomnia Clinic. Our 4-step process offers a structured programme that helps you identify negative thoughts and behaviours around sleep, replacing them with habits that promote sound sleep. Studies have consistently shown that these techniques can help up to 85% of people to improve their sleep- often seeing benefits in a few days.

This method helps you overcome the underlying causes of your sleep problem, treating the cause rather than medicating the issue. This means you can learn how to use your own body clock and sleep drive to improve and control your sleep pattern, meaning you need never lie in bed awake again! 

In fact, CBT-i has such a large evidence base proving its effectiveness that it’s recommended as the preferred treatment for long-term insomnia by the National Health Services (NHS).