Sleep therapy

A proven therapy to help people sleep better is CBTi, which stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia. Whether you want to get to sleep faster or sleep longer, CBTi may help.

What makes CBTi better than sleeping pills?

CBTi helps you regain your natural sleep and unlike sleeping pills, the benefits can last a lifetime and it doesn’t have harmful side effects. Most importantly, CBT-i is effective. Research shows that CBT-i can help you fall asleep faster and sleep for longer than sleeping pills.

CBTi can be learned by yourself or with a specially trained therapist. Find out more about CBTi and find a resource that’s right for you at mysleepwell.ca, a website developed by health researchers at Dalhousie University.

Sleep diary

Keeping a sleep diary is a way to track important information about your sleep. In a sleep diary, you write down the time you go to bed, the number of times you wake up in the night and any daytime naps you have. By keeping a record of this information and looking back at it over time, you may find out what is helping you or stopping you from having a good night’s sleep. You can take your sleep diary to your doctor or healthcare professional and decide together what sleep habits you could use to get better quality sleep.

You can find an example of a sleep diary, and instructions on how to use it in our brochure.

Relaxation: Dealing with stress

Dealing with stress can help you get better sleep. For many of us with busy lives, this is ‘easier said than done’ and takes some practice. There is not just one way to deal with stress, some techniques help you deal with your physical and mental reactions to stress while others help change the way you think about stressful things. It can take several tries to find a technique that works for you. Three effective ways to deal with stress are:

• Deep breathing

• Muscle relaxation

• Mental imagery (relaxation visualization)

To learn more about these techniques to deal with stress and other ways to get a good night’s sleep, download our brochure.

Exercise

Regular exercise can improve the quality of your sleep, especially aerobic activities that increase your heart rate and breathing. Be aware that strenuous activity too close to your bedtime will stimulate you, so plan your exercise for daytime or early evening hours.

Restrict device use

Restricting the use of devices with screens before you sleep is a good habit that may help you sleep better. The blue light from screens like phones, laptops and TVs used at bedtime may disrupt your natural sleep patterns. It is suggested that your bed should be used for sleep and sex only, and devices, like phones and tablets, should not be used before your scheduled sleep time or if you wake in the night.

Control lighting

You can make your room darker when you go to sleep by using block-out blinds and turning off any bright lamps, or devices with screens. Sleeping in a dark room is just one of several habits that may help you sleep better. These habits are known as “good sleep hygiene”.

Another example of good sleep hygiene is keeping your room at a comfortable temperature. Your room should be slightly cooler at night than during the day. A room temperature of around 18° Celsius is suggested, although comfort levels can differ from person to person. A room that is too hot or cold may result in a restless night.

Limit caffeine, nicotine and alcohol

Avoid caffeine drinks 4-6 hours before your scheduled sleep time. Caffeine is a stimulant. It can be found in coffee, most teas, soft drinks and chocolate. Caffeine is known to disrupt sleep, so avoid eating or drinking caffeinated foods or drinks before your scheduled sleep time or if you wake in the night.

Avoid smoking just before your scheduled sleep time, or during the night. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is a stimulant and smoking will disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about how to quit smoking.

Avoid drinking alcohol about 3-4 hours before your scheduled sleep time. Alcohol is a depressant that does not improve the quality of your sleep. It can make you fall asleep but you will wake up shortly after. Avoid drinking alcohol before bedtime to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Limiting caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are habits that help you sleep better. These habits are known as “good sleep hygiene”. For more information on good sleep hygiene and other ways to get a good night’s sleep, download our brochure.