Insomnia Treatment
Lying awake night after night can affect your mood, health, and ability to function during the day. The sleep specialists at Sleep Health MD treat insomnia with individualized, evidence-based programs that address the root causes of poor sleep for patients in Santa Cruz, Freedom, Sunnyvale, and Monterey.
Request an AppointmentWhat Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble falling asleep, wake frequently during the night and struggle to get back to sleep, wake up too early, or wake up feeling unrefreshed. Insomnia may be transient, lasting less than a month, or chronic, occurring most nights for a month or longer. An estimated 1 in 10 Americans has insomnia. Ongoing lack of sleep is linked to a higher risk of hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, and a diminished quality of life.
What Causes Insomnia?
Several factors can contribute to insomnia:
- A genetic predisposition to insomnia
- Stress, anxiety, or a history of depression
- Medical conditions such as heart failure, asthma, and chronic pain
- Other sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome, and restless leg syndrome
- An irregular sleep schedule or a misaligned body clock, as seen in circadian rhythm disorders and shift work sleep disorder
- Excessive caffeine, alcohol before bedtime, and long daytime naps
Our Approach to Insomnia Treatment
Each person experiences insomnia differently based on their life circumstances, coping styles, and biological predispositions. Our program addresses the specific needs of each patient. Treatment components are carefully selected and combined to fit your experience and goals, guided by current scientific knowledge about how sleep is regulated, including the sleep drive and the biological clock that governs sleep and wakefulness. Treatment focuses on identifying and changing the factors that interfere with these processes.
What to Expect During Treatment Sessions
- Education on normal sleep and the many factors that affect its quality and quantity
- Developing healthy, effective sleep behaviors
- Learning skills to calm the mind and manage stress
- Individualized sleep-wake scheduling, including sleep consolidation and stimulus control
- Eliminating behaviors that are incompatible with sleep
- Properly timed light exposure to reset the body clock, when indicated
These components are core elements of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which is recommended as a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia and can produce lasting improvement without long-term reliance on sleeping pills.
When Insomnia Is a Sign of Something Else
Sometimes trouble sleeping is caused by another disorder. If your provider suspects a breathing or movement disorder, a sleep study may be recommended. Sleep studies are not used to diagnose insomnia itself, but they can uncover conditions such as sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder that disrupt sleep.
Insomnia in Children and Teens
Children and teens can also struggle with bedtime resistance, frequent waking, and delayed sleep schedules. Our pediatric sleep services help families build healthy routines. Learn more about other conditions we treat, read about daytime sleepiness, or visit our new patients page.
Insomnia Treatment FAQs
What is the difference between short-term and chronic insomnia?
Short-term (transient) insomnia lasts less than a month and is often triggered by stress or a life change. Chronic insomnia occurs most nights and lasts a month or longer.
What is CBT-I?
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a structured program that changes the thoughts and behaviors that interfere with sleep. It is a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia.
Can insomnia be treated without medication?
Yes. Many patients improve significantly with behavioral treatment, sleep scheduling, and stress management techniques.
Do I need a sleep study for insomnia?
Sleep studies aren’t used to diagnose insomnia, but your provider may recommend one if another sleep disorder is suspected.
Can sleep apnea cause insomnia?
Yes. Breathing interruptions can cause frequent awakenings that feel like insomnia.
How long does insomnia treatment take?
Many patients notice improvement within several sessions, although the timeline varies from person to person.
How do I schedule an insomnia consultation?
Call (844) 387-5337 or request an appointment online with Sleep Health MD.
Rediscover Restful Nights
You don’t have to keep struggling to sleep. Call (844) 387-5337 or request an appointment online to begin a personalized insomnia treatment plan.