Insomnia treatment in Sacramento for better sleep

Have you tried seemingly everything to fall or stay asleep, but the problem only lingers or has even gotten worse?  You might find yourself dragging and tired all day, and then inexplicably awake the moment you try to sleep!  You've probably googled how to sleep better and seen lists touting "10 ways to fall sleep." You may feel like an expert in what you "should" be doing based on the idea of "sleep hygiene," but nothing seems to help.

Your bed used to be a place of tranquility, but now it may feel like a torture device.  You lay awake noticing everything:  the covers, the noise, the thoughts in your own head. You try and try to sleep, but you are simply awake. You may have even moved out of your bed and onto the couch or into another bed.  Your sleep schedule may now dictate what activities you do in the daytime and you might even avoid morning appointments or activities just in case you need to sleep in. 

You probably think about sleep and insomnia a lot.  The worry and dread often mounts as the day progresses.  You wonder if tonight will be OK or will be another bad night. You may worry your insomnia will never end.  You might worry that it is going to negatively impact your long-term health, which only worries you more. Then you worry about worrying too much!

You may have tried sleeping pills of one kind or another, and you might even take them every single night.  However, you might not want to rely on medication or alcohol or other substances to help you fall or stay asleep.  You wonder if there is another way, but change is worrisome.  You might have heard about the idea of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, but you aren't sure what this is or whether psychological and behavioral approaches could even help.

The good news is that even if you feel as if your poor sleep is ruining your life, there is hope. As a Clinical Health Psychologist, I've long been interested in and have specialized training and many years of experience helping people with insomnia and other sleep disorders.  In fact, some of my early clinical training was in a sleep disorders center in Chicago where we evaluated and treated a wide variety of people with sleep issues.  Later, in my work at university counseling and health centers and in private practice, I've helped people with insomnia, sleep rhythm/schedule problems, and people who have difficulty with sleep due to medical issues such as sleep apnea.

The first step with insomnia treatment is to thoroughly examine and assess your difficulty with sleep. We will consider many details, since sleep is complex and a result of biological, behavioral, psychological, and environmental factors. We will identify which factors are most impacting your sleeping problem. We will look at your sleep habits and patterns, as well as all of the things you've tried to do to help you sleep. We may notice that certain things triggered your insomnia, but other things keep it going. 

Prior to your the initial sleep consultation (85-90 minutes), I will ask you to complete paperwork and questionnaires, along with a sleep diary. Follow-up visits (50-55 minutes) generally occur weekly or biweekly, depending on your needs and schedule. Treatment for insomnia may be short-term, unless there are other complicating factors or other mental health issues you'd like to address.

During treatment I'll help you to understand your sleep patterns and teach you ways to reduce the over-arousal you feel in your body and mind as you try to sleep.  Our goal will be to help you sleep more like a "normal sleeper" again.  The true challenge is that normal sleepers don't try very hard to sleep, they just do.  So our goal will be to help you "unlearn" the things that interfere with sleep and to help you find ways to cope with the worry and thoughts about not sleeping.  

There are three main non-pharmacological approaches I use in counseling and therapy for insomnia and other sleep problems.  One is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), second is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Insomnia (ACT-I), and third is Clinical/Medical Hypnosis.  I have been extensively trained in all three methods and tailor them according to your needs.  A primary focus of CBT-I is restructuring your sleep patterns and learned behaviors; a primary focus of ACT-I is using mindfulness and acceptance to deal with all the negative sensations and thoughts that go along with the struggle to sleep; and a primary focus of Clinical Hypnosis is to allow you to experience relaxation and physiological calmness, while strengthening your confidence in the ability to sleep better. I can also recommend several apps and books based on your needs, that can enhance and quicken your progress.