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Sleep & Rest

CBT-I: the gold-standard for insomnia

5 min read

Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia is more effective than sleeping pills long-term — and you can begin with self-guided components.

The core components

Stimulus control (bed = sleep). Sleep restriction (compress time in bed to current actual sleep, then expand). Cognitive work on unhelpful beliefs about sleep. Sleep hygiene. Relaxation training. Most programmes run 4–8 weeks.

Why it outperforms pills long-term

Medication can help short-term but the effect ends when the drug stops. CBT-I retrains the sleep system, so benefits persist months and years after the programme ends.

Getting it

Ask your GP or doctor for referral. Free or low-cost digital CBT-I programmes are available in several countries. The NHS in England offers Sleepio in some regions.

Sources & further reading

Groundify summarises publicly available guidance from authoritative bodies. This article is educational and is not a substitute for assessment, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician.

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