Conquering Insomnia: Behavioral Treatments for a Restful Night

People tell me all the time that they had no idea there are options for treating insomnia beyond medications. Or they say that their doctors have told them about sleep hygiene basics and just stopped there. As a sleep psychologist this is incredibly disheartening!

Insomnia is complex—and surface-level suggestions like “just avoid screens” or “cut back on caffeine” barely scratch the surface. Behavioral treatments for insomnia go well beyond the traditional sleep hygiene recommendations and provide long-term solutions by addressing the root causes of insomnia. We’re not just treating symptoms—we’re helping the brain and body relearn how to sleep.

I specialize in helping you to develop effective behavioral strategies to help you conquer insomnia and achieve a restful night. So, let’s get into it!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

(CBT-I)

The primary treatment I use for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I. It’s not about surface-level sleep tips—it’s a structured, research-backed approach that gets to the root of what’s keeping you up.

CBT-I helps you shift both the behaviors and thought patterns that fuel chronic insomnia, and it consistently outperforms sleep medications in long-term outcomes.

Most people with insomnia don’t have a “sleep problem” in the way they think—they have a pattern problem or a perception problem that has taken hold over time. CBT-I addresses both. It teaches your body to sleep more efficiently and helps your brain stop fighting itself at bedtime. You don’t have to rely on trial-and-error or hope you just magically get sleepy one day.

Core components of CBT-I include sleep restriction (limiting time in bed to improve sleep efficiency), stimulus control (retraining your brain to associate bed with sleep only), and cognitive restructuring (challenging unhelpful thoughts like “I’ll never sleep again” or “I need 8 hours or I’ll crash”). Each part of CBT-I works together to help your brain relearn how to sleep—without relying on medication or guesswork. It’s challenging at times—but it works. And it’s worth it.

Sleep Hygiene

(Still Important, Just Not the Whole Picture)

I always say: Sleep hygiene alone won’t cure insomnia—but it absolutely matters. Think of it as the foundation. Without good sleep habits, even the most advanced therapy strategies won’t stick.

Good sleep hygiene supports the behavioral work we do in CBT-I and creates the conditions for sleep to thrive.

This includes things like keeping a consistent sleep schedule (yes, even on weekends), developing a wind-down routine to signal your body it’s time for rest, and making sure your sleep environment is cool, dark, and distraction-free. Most people overlook these because they seem too simple—but I promise, they’re powerful when done consistently.

It’s also worth investing in a mattress and pillows that truly support you—literally and figuratively. You don’t need a “Pinterest-worthy” bedroom, but you do need one that feels safe, comfortable, and free from stimulation that keeps your brain on high alert.

Address Stress and Anxiety

Stress and insomnia are basically toxic exes who can’t quit each other. When you’re stressed, you can’t sleep. When you can’t sleep, you get more stressed. One of the most powerful parts of treatment is learning how to break that cycle.

We often use tools like scheduled worry time, where you set aside a daily block to write down worries and problem-solve proactively. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety (that’s not realistic), but to stop letting it show up uninvited at 2am. Giving your brain a planned outlet to think things through helps it learn that bedtime isn’t the time for emotional processing or crisis planning.

Techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and mindfulness meditation help train your nervous system to downshift at night. They may seem small, but when practiced consistently, these strategies help reduce the “tired but wired” feeling that so many of my clients experience. If your brain runs marathons at bedtime, these practices help it slow to a walk—and eventually, a rest.

Lifestyle Tweaks That Make a Big Difference

Some of the simplest changes can have a surprisingly big impact on your sleep. Daily exercise—even just a brisk walk—can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. It’s not about exhausting your body; it’s about giving it a natural rhythm to follow.

Just be mindful of timing: late-night workouts can rev you up if you’re already sensitive to evening stimulation.

It’s also smart to be mindful of what you consume. Caffeine can linger in your system longer than you think—yes, even that 2pm latte. And alcohol—even though it feels relaxing—can fragment sleep and increase night wakings, especially in the second half of the night.

These tweaks aren’t about perfection—they’re about alignment. Aligning your daily habits with your body’s sleep system helps everything work more smoothly. Small adjustments, done consistently, support all the deeper therapeutic work we’re doing together.

Conclusion

By incorporating these behavioral treatments into your daily routine, you can effectively manage and overcome insomnia. You don’t need to rely on medication forever, and you don’t need to accept restless nights as your “normal.” There is a path forward—and it’s rooted in evidence, structure, and support.

Remember, consistency is key, and it may take time to see significant improvements. But you don’t have to do this alone. I help guide you through each step, adjust strategies to fit your life, and troubleshoot what’s not working.

Each of these strategies is easy to say, hard to do. If you need a partner in helping you get a better night’s sleep, [Click Here] to schedule a free consultation!