MHM Magazine

12 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | Issu3 2 | 2022 MHM When you’re desperate for sleep, and stuck in a cycle of anxiety about whether you’ll be able to get to sleep, it can leave you feeling helpless and hopeless. It can also be tempting to reach for a sleeping pill or an over- the-counter sleep aid, both of which can form part of a CBT programme for addressing sleep disorders. However, sleep medication can’t change poor sleep hygiene or habits, or fully remove the anxiety that accompanies a chronic sleep problem. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can improve your sleep by changing your behaviour before bedtime (this goes beyond sleep hygiene) as well as changing the ways of thinking that keep you from falling asleep. It can also entail teaching you relaxation skills and changing lifestyle habits that impact your sleeping patterns. The focus of this article will be on addressing sleep anxiety, which maintains the sleep problem over time. The main focus will be on insomnia, one of the most prevalent sleep disorders. Dr Colinda Linde Clinical psychologist, SADAG Chairperson Johannesburg CBT FOR SLEEP ANXIETY