Psychological treatment methods for insomnia

The main psychological treatment methods for insomnia include cognitive-behavioral therapy, stimulus control therapy, sleep restriction therapy, relaxation training, and conflicting intention therapy.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to correct patients' misconceptions and bad behavioral habits about sleep. This method suggests that the persistence of insomnia is closely related to patients' excessive concern about the consequences of insomnia and their behavior of engaging in activities unrelated to sleep in bed. Treatment usually includes sleep hygiene education to help patients establish a regular daily routine; Cognitive restructuring, challenging and changing unreasonable sleep beliefs such as' I must sleep for 8 hours'; And behavioral intervention to reduce the time spent awake while lying in bed. Through weeks of structured training, help patients rebuild healthy sleep cognitive patterns, reduce anxiety about insomnia, and improve sleep quality.

II. Stimulus Control Therapy

The core of stimulus control therapy is to rebuild the conditioned reflex between bed and sleep, breaking the connection between bed and wakefulness, anxiety, and other states. The specific approach includes going to bed only when feeling tired; If you can't fall asleep after lying in bed for about 20 minutes, you should leave the bedroom and engage in some quiet and relaxing activities until you feel tired again before returning to bed; No matter how you sleep at night, wake up at a fixed time every morning; And avoid activities unrelated to sleep such as eating, watching TV, working, or thinking in bed. This method helps to strengthen the function of the bed as a sleep trigger and reduce feelings of frustration while lying in bed.

III. Sleep Restriction Therapy

Sleep restriction therapy improves sleep efficiency by temporarily limiting bed rest time. Firstly, by recording a sleep diary, calculate the average actual sleep time of the patient in the recent period. Subsequently, the bed rest time is strictly set to this average sleep time, but usually not less than 5 hours. For example, if you only sleep an average of 6 hours per night, the bed rest time is set from midnight to 6am. As sleep efficiency improves, gradually and slowly increase bed rest time. This method can reduce the awake time during bed rest, increase sleep drive, and make sleep more solid, but it needs to be carried out under the guidance of professionals to avoid excessive drowsiness.

4. Relaxation Training

Relaxation training aims to reduce the physiological and psychological arousal levels of insomnia patients, alleviate the tension and anxiety before falling asleep. Common techniques include progressive muscle relaxation, which involves systematically tightening and then relaxing various muscle groups throughout the body; Abdominal deep breathing, focusing on slow, deep, and long breaths; And mindfulness meditation, to perceive the current physical sensations and thoughts with an non judgmental attitude. These exercises can help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension, divert excessive attention from insomnia, and create a mind body state conducive to falling asleep. It is recommended to practice at a fixed time every day, especially before bedtime.

V. Contradictory Intention Method

Contradictory intention method is a cognitive intervention technique used to alleviate anticipatory anxiety caused by efforts to fall asleep. This method requires patients to strive to stay awake and open their eyes to avoid falling asleep after going to bed. Through this directive of 'going the opposite way', the performance pressure caused by the patient's goal of 'having to sleep' is eliminated, thereby reducing anxiety. When patients no longer feel anxious about being unable to fall asleep, the resistance to falling asleep actually decreases, making sleep more likely to occur naturally. This method is particularly suitable for patients who have difficulty falling asleep due to excessive attention and fear of insomnia. The psychological treatment of insomnia is a process that requires patience and persistence, and is usually recommended to be systematically carried out under the guidance of a psychotherapist or sleep specialist. In addition to the above professional methods, establishing good sleep habits is also crucial, such as keeping the bedroom environment dark, quiet, and cool, avoiding caffeine and nicotine intake before bedtime, avoiding overeating at dinner, and avoiding the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers one hour before bedtime. Engage in moderate physical exercise during the day, but avoid vigorous exercise before bedtime. If insomnia persists and seriously affects daytime function, professional help should be sought in a timely manner for comprehensive assessment and treatment.