Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Insomnia”
Every so often, a patient shares an observation that reminds me how small environmental changes can have a profound impact on mental health. Recently, one of my patients with Bipolar I disorder told me about his experience using a smart lamp—the Philips Hue Twilight—which mimics natural sunrise and sunset light. He wasn’t expecting much when he bought it. What he …
One of our patients recommended that we look at a YouTube video that summarized the scientific literature on fitness watches and rings as sleep trackers. We think that it is a pretty good place to start if you are considering buying a device and sleep is an important part of what you want to track. Before diving into the details, …
We’re thrilled to congratulate Naomi Muzac on successfully completing the 3-Day Intensive Training: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). This accomplishment demonstrates Naomi’s dedication to providing the highest quality of care to her clients, especially those struggling with sleep disorders. CBT-I is a proven and effective treatment for insomnia, and Naomi’s new skills will undoubtedly benefit her patients. By incorporating …
Blue spectrum light, as emitted by electronic screens of all kinds disrupts sleep patterns and circadian rhythms when they are used in the evening and at night. These disruptions are especially problematic for people with mood disorders, who often experience difficulty sleeping and maintaining regular daily schedules of activities. We recommend blue light blocking glasses that block at least 90% …
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has issued updated guidelines for treatment of insomnia. Chronic insomnia disorder is a serious condition and requires careful diagnosis and treatment. It is often found together with mood disorders such as bipolar, major depression and anxiety, but has traditionally been treated as a less-important and temporary phenomenon. The AASM recommends that chronic insomnia …
Although there is reason for optimism about some of the newer medications for insomnia (orexin antagonists) that are coming to market, it remains true that sleeping medications are not the right answer for many people with insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) has several advantages as an initial treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia First We have been writing …
Chronotherapy refers to treatments for depression, mania, or both, that focus on changing sleep and wakefulness patterns. This blog post provides an update of this important area. Background The International Society of Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) task force on chronobiology and chronotherapy published a comprehensive review of chronotherapy techniques and their effectiveness in bipolar disorder in 2019. This article summarizes the …
Sleepio is a six-session sleep improvement program, created by sleep expert Professor Colin Espie and featuring proven Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques. We are happy to add this treatment option to the list of state of the art therapies available at Gateway Psychiatric. For more information about CBT for insomnia and online programs to help improve sleep please read this …
Why a post about how to supercharge your circadian rhythms? The fact is that for a lot of us our bodies and our brains have a hard time adapting to modern life and the result is poor quality sleep, daytime fatigue, and, for some, depression. What Are Circadian Rhythms? Circadian rhythms are what allow your body to go from vigorous …
Delayed circadian rhythms occur in a condition known as delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD). This condition needs to be distinguished from disrupted circadian rhythms, a condition in which there are no strong circadian rhythms and therefore it’s hard for people to fall asleep, and when they do fall asleep they tend to have fragmented or light sleep. People with delayed …
