CBT-I for Insomnia
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
The evidence-based, first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, no medication required.
CBT-I is the treatment the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends as the first-line approach for chronic insomnia, ahead of sleep medication. Unlike a sleep aid, CBT-I addresses the habits and thought patterns that keep insomnia going, and the improvements tend to last well after treatment ends.
This may help if you
You don't have to keep living with poor sleep.
- •Take a long time to fall asleep, or lie awake for hours
- •Wake up repeatedly during the night
- •Wake too early and can't fall back asleep
- •Feel anxious or frustrated about sleep itself
- •Rely on sleep medication and want to reduce or stop it
- •Feel exhausted, foggy, or irritable during the day from poor sleep
What CBT-I Actually Involves
A structured, short-term approach, not sleep hygiene tips.
CBT-I is built around a few core techniques, not just relaxation tips or sleep hygiene advice.
Sleep restriction therapy
Temporarily tightening your time in bed to rebuild your natural sleep drive, so you fall asleep faster and sleep more efficiently once you're there.
Stimulus control
Retraining your brain to associate your bed with sleep, not wakefulness or worry.
Cognitive restructuring
Working through anxious or unhelpful thoughts about sleep that tend to keep the cycle going.
Relaxation strategies
Techniques to ease nervous system activation at bedtime, tailored to what actually works for you.
Sleep education
Understanding your own sleep drive and circadian rhythm, so the rest of the plan makes sense and sticks.
How CBT-I Fits Into Care Here
CBT-I is delivered as part of the Sleep Restore Program.
CBT-I is delivered as part of the Sleep Restore Program, a structured 8-week path that also addresses your medications, supplements, and body clock alongside the behavioral work. It's not offered as standalone, piecemeal sessions. The middle stretch of CBT-I, when your sleep window is tightened, is exactly where treatment tends to fall apart if it's booked one visit at a time rather than followed through as a complete process.
If you're not ready to commit to the full program, a Initial Sleep Consultation is a single comprehensive visit that can help determine whether CBT-I and the full program are the right fit for you. See the full Sleep Restore Program.
Investment
Recommended
Sleep Restore Program
$1,500
The complete 8-week program, including CBT-I, medication and supplement review, and circadian support.
Areté Women's Integrative Medicine members have program fees waived. Learn more about the Sleep Restore Program.
Frequently asked questions
Answers about CBT-I.
Can I book only a few CBT-I sessions?
CBT-I is included as part of the Sleep Restore Program rather than offered as individual sessions. CBT-I works best when the complete process is followed, including the middle phase when sleep schedules are adjusted and new patterns are established. If you're not ready for the full program, a Initial Sleep Consultation is the place to begin instead.
How is CBT-I different from sleep medication?
Sleep medications may provide short-term symptom relief for some people, but they do not address the behavioral and cognitive patterns that maintain chronic insomnia. CBT-I targets the underlying processes contributing to insomnia and has been shown to provide lasting improvements after treatment ends.
Do I need a sleep study before starting CBT-I?
Not always. Many people with chronic insomnia can begin evaluation and treatment without a sleep study. If your symptoms suggest another sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, snoring, gasping during sleep, or unrefreshing sleep despite adequate time in bed, an at-home WatchPAT sleep apnea test can be ordered directly through Areté, no in-network referral or sleep lab visit required. Learn more about WatchPAT home sleep apnea testing on the Sleep Restore Program page.
How long does CBT-I take?
As part of the Sleep Restore Program, treatment is designed to take approximately eight weeks.
Ready to get started?