“CBT-I includes a number of different modalities, such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, stimulus control (which involves removing factors from the bedroom environment that might be perpetuating the insomnia, such as a clock or an electronic device), hypnosis, and sleep hygiene,” Dr. “The most effective treatment for insomnia is CBT-I,” says Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, a professor of neurology and the director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center. Once your doctor has ruled out other medical conditions that may be interfering with your sleep and given you a diagnosis of insomnia, treatment will typically include cognitive and behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), lifestyle changes, and if necessary, medication.

And about 10 percent of people suffer from the longer-term type of insomnia, chronic insomnia, which means they find it difficult to get enough shut-eye at least three nights a week, for at least three months. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, up to 35 percent of adults struggle with insomnia, which means they have trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep (at least on an occasional basis). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about 70 million Americans deal with chronic sleep problems. Then you stare at the ceiling, eyes wide open, mind racing, with a good night’s sleep feeling more like a distant dream with every passing second. You crawl into bed at a decent hour thinking tonight is the night you’re going to get your sleep back on track.

Cure for insomnia