CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Training for Insomnia) is a front line, non-pharmacological treatment for short term or chronic insomnia. CBT-I treatment is guided by a trained sleep professional and centres around re-education and re-associating the bed with sleep (sleep conditioning) and using optimal sleep hygiene techniques.

We can use these methods to help with our own sleep. You may not have insomnia, but poor sleep quality and trouble getting to sleep can have dramatic effects on our health, performance and cognitive function over the long term.

Science backed data shows between 10-30% of fatal motor vehicle accidents have been attributed to sleepiness. Studies have also shown people restricted of sleep to less than 6 hours per night for 2 weeks straight showed the same cognitive impairment as people who were kept awake for 48 hours in a row.

So, we’ve figured out sleep is important – what can we do about it if we’re not getting adequate sleep? By following the principals of CBT-I therapy, we could improve our quantity and quality of sleep.

Here are the 4 rules of Sleep Conditioning:

1 – Go to bed only when you intend to sleep and when you are feeling sleepy.

2 – Do not use your bed for anything other than sleep and sex – no reading, TV, screen time, eating etc.

3 – If you can’t fall asleep within 15-20 minutes, get up and go to another room and do not return to the bedroom until you feel sleepy again. (Repeat this step as many times as necessary).

4 – Get up at the same time each morning regardless of how much sleep you had.

These rules are designed to re-associate the bed with sleeping, as those who struggle to sleep often develop frustration and anxiety towards the bedroom that further contributes to poor sleep.

What about sleep hygiene? This is the term used to describe good sleep habits. A lot of research has been done on creating a set of guidelines to enhance good sleep and there is a bulk of evidence to support these providing lasting solutions to sleep problems.

4 important rules of sleep hygiene are:

1 – Exercise regularly (4-8 hours prior to bedtime appears to be the most beneficial time to exercise to improve getting to sleep and sleep quality – although no significant research has shown that exercise right before bedtime has a negative impact on sleep)

2 – Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol

(400mg of caffeine 6 hours before bedtime decreased overall sleep time by over an hour. Alcohol 6 hours before bedtime has been shown to interrupt sleep patterns, even after the alcohol has cleared from your system and general insomnia symptoms have been commonly observed in people consuming quantities of nicotine whether that be from cigarettes, gum, patch or pill) N.B nicotine withdrawl can also cause insomnia symptoms so we wouldn’t recommend giving up nicotine cold turkey.

3 – Make the bedroom dark, quiet, cool and comfortable.

4 – Establish a relaxing and consistent bedtime routine

(Meditation, massage and soothing music have been shown to assist in calming the nervous system before sleep. Taking a hot bath before sleep has also been shown to speed up the rate in which you fall asleep due to the rapid skin cooling effect after you get out, assisting in reducing your core body temperature faster to achieve optimal sleep)

Some other points to note regarding lifestyle and sleep hygiene are:

• Low Fibre intake and high saturated fat and refined sugar intake have been associated with lighter, less restorative sleep
• Low Carb, Ketogenic diets have been associated with higher frequency of insomnia
• Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to improve sleep quality, increase sleep duration and improve subjective sleep quality in people with sleep disorders.

Hopefully the principals of CBT-I and Sleep Hygiene can help you achieve ideal sleep quality and time. At Thrae, we think waking up refreshed and restored from a good night’s sleep is the foundation of achieving our goals and being our best selves, which is why we’ve invested so much of our time and effort into providing you with tips to get better sleep, as well as creating our 100% Tencel sheet sets, which provide the ultimate comfort for your sleep time.