It’s midnight and you are lying there wondering if you can safely take a sleeping pill. You are listing everything you have to do tomorrow and know you can’t afford to be exhausted. If you take a sleeping pill now, will you wake up with one of those awful sleeping pill hangovers in the morning or will you get enough sleep? Can you fall asleep without it? Meanwhile, the clock keeps racing till morning with you watching it!
Nothing is more frustrating than not sleeping when you know that it is vital that you are “on,” but continued use of sleeping pills is not going to help your sleeping problem. Most sleeping pills, whether prescription or over-the-counter, do not help you stay asleep through the entire night. Many shorten your sleeping cycle so you start to sleep for fewer hours each night. Americans spend billions each year attempting to sleep better at night; money for sleeping pills, new or different mattress and pillows, white noise machines, and darkening shades and curtains. The environment is important, but more important is the way we deal with our insomnia and sleep issues!
The most effective way to deal with insomnia is with Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment. Not pills. Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT) means changing the way you view sleep, the way you look at your bedroom, the patterns of behavior right before your retire for the night, and the way you relax if you aren’t sleeping. CBT is about changing patterns in your life that aren’t working for you, the way you think, and starting new behaviors that are more effective. Most people that try CBT find that they are experiencing better, more restful sleep in four to five weeks, without pills.
If you are ready to try CBT, contact Associated Counseling at either the Bradley office at 815-929-0099 or the Midlothian office at 708-597-0032.