To wrap up this series on chronic insomnia and CBT-I let me share some final thoughts. Like any treatment in medicine, appropriate patient selection is key. Here are some factors I consider:
✅ Motivated for non-pharmacological treatment
✅ Co-existing psychiatric conditions being addressed
✅ Willingness to explore behavioral changes
🚫 Not willing to keep sleep diaries
🚫 Not willing to be seen every 2-4 weeks for 4-6 sessions
🚫 Not willing to make behavioral changes
For the other medical professionals following this series, please consider referring your patients to sleep medicine before starting your patients on medications, which can become a problem of its own. Or prescribe a short course and counsel that if insomnia is not improved they need to see sleep medicine.
🛏Some sleep medicine centers do not have CBT-I and focus primarily on sleep apnea and CPAP. Find out where you’re sending your patients and if they provide these services.
Check out the resources page on my website for a worldwide directory of certified behavioral sleep medicine specialists.
Understanding Insomnia – Part 7
