Quality Sleep Scheduling: A Key Strategy in Overcoming Insomnia
As a CBT-I therapist, I understand the frustration that comes with countless sleepless nights. One of the most effective approaches to overcoming insomnia is through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), a structured program that identifies and changes thoughts and behaviors contributing to sleep problems. In this blog post, I want to focus on one specific component of CBT-I, sometimes called sleep compression, sleep restriction, or as a colleague of mine brilliantly described it, “quality sleep scheduling.”
What is Quality Sleep Scheduling?
Quality sleep scheduling is about making a better sleep plan. This is more than just keeping a regular bedtime and is different from “early to bed early to rise”. Instead, this is about creating a sleep schedule that matches your sleep as it is now to help your sleep in the future.
How Quality Sleep Scheduling Works
For example, if someone is in bed for 8 hours but only sleeping 5 hours, this means they are lying awake in bed for 3 hours. Lying awake in bed, leads to stress and worry. Over time this stress and worry becomes associated with the bed. If you’ve ever felt anxious just thinking about going to bed, you’ll know what I mean. Instead of continuing that association, we want to make the time you spend in bed match how much you can really sleep right now. Then as we build sleep skills and your sleep starts increasing in CBT-I treatment, the time in bed will increase too. So in the example above, the sleep schedule would be set to last for 6.5 hours leaving a 30 minute buffer to fall asleep. This way, your sleep will be higher quality, and you won't be spending as much time awake in bed - tossing and turning or worrying about sleep. This helps you have deeper, better sleep and spend less time awake in bed. Quality sleep timing is often very counter intuitive. People often wonder “If I am in bed less, won’t I sleep less?” “I want to be sure to give myself every opportunity to sleep.” At first, it might feel like you're sleeping less, but this process is a powerful tool to make your sleep better in the long run.
Sacrificing a Few Pawns to Win the Game
A sleep expert and researcher, Dr. Rachel Manber, once compared this process to playing a game of chess. You might give up a few pawns (or a little sleep) in the beginning, but you'll win the game (or sleep better) in the end. It's important to remember that losing a little sleep at first is part of the journey to better sleep.
Conclusion
Quality Sleep Scheduling is a component of CBT-I that focuses on improving the quality of sleep as a first step. In later sessions of CBT-I we increase the amount of sleep too. By scheduling time in bed to match your sleep ability, you can reduce the time spent lying awake, which in turn can lead to a healthier and more satisfying sleep pattern. If you are struggling with insomnia, consider working with a CBT-I therapist who can guide you through this process and help you regain control over your sleep. Remember, the short-term sacrifice of a few sleepless nights is a small price to pay for the long-term benefits of overcoming insomnia.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional, such as a therapist or doctor, before making any changes to your sleep habits or implementing any treatment strategies.