Sleep training isn’t just for helping children sleep through the night—adults can also apply sleep training techniques to themselves, and it’s highly recommended. In the sections below, you’ll learn how adults can implement sleep training and how this practice can play a role in preventing depression.
CBT Sleep Training
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that teaches you how to break bad habits, thereby preparing your mind and body for a good night's sleep. This can help to prevent depression in older adults with insomnia, according to a 2017 clinical trial.
These trials are the first to demonstrate that you can treat insomnia with a behavioral approach instead of medication, and that this approach can help to prevent the development of depression in older adults. For many adults with insomnia and/or depression, taking a pill may be a deterrent for seeking professional help and adhering to the treatment plan. By incorporating a strictly behavioral therapeutic technique, individuals may be able to treat their depression and insomnia in a manner that's comfortable for them.
Adults in this clinical trial who received CBT for their insomnia were two times less likely to develop depression, showing that insomnia can be targeted with CBT to prevent depression from occurring.
Insomnia and depression
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep. It can be either acute or chronic and either primary or secondary. Acute insomnia takes place over a short period, while chronic insomnia takes place over a long period. Primary insomnia is the inability to fall asleep without an identifiable cause. Secondary insomnia is the inability to fall asleep due to an identifiable cause.
Insomnia is a major risk factor for depression. Anywhere from 30-50% of older adults complain of insomnia. Major depression is also common among older adults and is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, disability, suicide, and all-cause mortality.
What is CBT?
CBT is a therapeutic approach administered by mental health professionals. It is the most evidence-based behavioral treatment for insomnia and has been proven to be equally effective, safer, and longer lasting than sleep aids.
CBT-I has five components: stimulus control, sleep restriction, sleep hygiene, relaxation, and cognitive therapy. Sleep hygiene and relaxation involve good sleep habits like waking up and falling asleep at the same time, eliminating blue light and noise from the bedroom, taking warm baths or doing yoga, and keeping the room cool and electronic-free.
Stimulus control involves getting people out of bed when they can't sleep. Most people stay in bed worrying about not being able to sleep, which turns the bed into a negative space. Instead, people are taught to get out of bed after 10 minutes of tossing and turning, and do quiet, non-stimulating activities until they are sleepy.
Sleep restriction involves limiting the time one spends in bed to only the period when they are sleeping, with 30 minutes of wiggle room. This is another way of getting people with insomnia to get out of bed instead of lying there awake.
Cognitive therapy works to disrupt dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs about sleep, for example, "I can't ever sleep". A therapist works to counter illogical thinking and ease clients into a more realistic mindset so they can relax and see the bed as a welcoming place. Group settings are also helpful because patients can hear about others' difficulties and how they are solving them, which can help inform them about something they are dealing with.
If you are having trouble sleeping and would like to talk to a sleep professional, then please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and speak with a professional.
[Sources]:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/24/health/sleep-training-insomnia-depression-wellness/index.html