Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI): Taking the Biological Clock into Account

Bed time and rise time should be congruent with one's circadian clock. When the desired bed time and rise time are not aligned with the circadian clock the therapist can use procedures to shift the circadian clock, such as properly timed exposure to bright light.

Professional help should be sought by people who find it impossible to follow the above recommendations consistently. For example, some people say they never get sleepy. Others find it too hard to get out of bed at the same time every day.

Therapists with special training in sleep disorders and behavioral sleep medicine are best suited to help people with insomnia because they possess knowledge in the science of sleep and the science of behavior change. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has established a certification in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and maintains a list of certified specialists and their geographic location on its web site.