Understanding CBT-I: Your Path to Overcoming Sleep Struggles and Finding Restful Nights

Are you struggling with insomnia? Lying in bed trying to figure out how to sleep? Feeling like

you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work?

So… what else is there to try?

One option you might not have considered is CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for

Insomnia). It’s actually recommended as a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia and in

British Columbia, there’s a free 6-week program available through the Mind Space program (you can check it out here: https://mind-space.ca/).

Mind Space is a comprehensive approach that has helped people close to me, so I wanted to share some of the key takeaways!

What is insomnia, exactly?

Insomnia isn’t just “not sleeping well.” It can show up in a few different ways:

● Trouble falling asleep

● Waking up frequently through the night

● Waking up earlier than you want and not being able to fall back asleep

● Or feeling like your sleep just isn’t restorative

It’s also incredibly common:

● About 1 in 3 adults experience insomnia symptoms

● Around 6–10% meet criteria for an insomnia disorder

● Rates can be even higher in older adults

Why Does Insomnia Happen?

CBT-I focuses on understanding why sleep problems develop and persist. One helpful way to think about this is through the “3 P’s” model:

Predisposing factors

These are underlying traits or vulnerabilities that make someone more likely to struggle with

sleep. This might include being a light sleeper, having a more sensitive stress system, a

tendency to overthink, past trauma, or inconsistent routines.

Precipitating factors

These are the triggers that start the sleep difficulty. Think big life changes or stressors: a new

job, a breakup, illness, moving, or the death of a loved one.

Perpetuating factors

This is often the missing piece. These are the habits that keep insomnia going and are often things that started as reasonable attempts to fix it.

For example:

● Staying in bed trying harder to sleep

● Going to bed earlier to “catch up” on sleep

● Checking the time while in bed

● Monitoring or tracking sleep closely

● Spending a lot of time thinking about or researching sleep

These behaviours make sense, but they can unintentionally reinforce the problem. Counterintuitive, huh?

What is Actually Happening Biologically that Impacts Sleep?

There are two main systems that regulate sleep:

1. Your circadian rhythm (your internal clock)

This is your internal 24-hour clock that influences when you feel alert versus sleepy. It’s heavily influenced by light, routine, and daily habits, not just what you do at night.

One of the key shifts in CBT-I is recognizing that insomnia is a 24-hour process. What you do

during the day, such as when you wake up, how much light you get, and how active you are, all influence how your body prepares for sleep later on. Even small changes (like sleeping in or going to bed earlier on some days) can throw this system off and create a “jet lag” feeling.

A helpful way to think about this is to create a clear contrast between day and night. We want strong signals to your body about when it’s time to be alert and when it’s time to wind down.

To support your circadian rhythm:

● Get bright light exposure in the morning (ideally outside, even if it’s cloudy, or using a

10,000 lux light)

● Wake up at the same time each day

● Keep meals and activity times relatively consistent

● Dim lights in the evening

2. Sleep pressure (your drive to sleep)

This is your body’s “need” for sleep, which builds the longer you’re awake. A chemical called

adenosine accumulates throughout the day, increasing your drive to sleep.

A few key things affect this:

● The longer you’re awake, the stronger your sleep drive

● Napping reduces sleep pressure

● Caffeine blocks the signals that make you feel sleepy (and stays in your system longer

than most people expect)

In general, your body needs a long enough stretch of wakefulness—often around 16 hours—to build sufficient sleep pressure.

CBT-I strategies (that often feel counterintuitive)

Many of these go against what people instinctively do when they’re exhausted:

1. Keep a consistent wake-up time

Sleep improvement actually starts in the morning, not at night. Getting up at the same

time daily helps reset your internal clock (think circadian rhythm)—even if you feel tired.

2. Skip naps (most of the time)

Even short naps can take the edge off your sleep pressure, making it harder to fall

asleep at night. There are exceptions (like illness or pregnancy), but generally, less

napping = better nighttime sleep. A helpful way to think about it: sleep pressure is like

hunger. If you snack during the day (nap), you’re less hungry at dinner (bedtime).

3. Create a wind-down period

The last hour before bed matters. Aim for calm, low-stimulation activities—and ideally

not in your bedroom. Save the bedroom for sleep, so it doesn't become associated with not sleeping (except sexual activity).

4. Be mindful of screens

Devices can delay sleep both biologically (light exposure) and mentally (they’re designed

to keep you engaged).

5. Only go to bed when you’re actually sleepy

Not just tired, but sleepy (heavy eyes, yawning, struggling to stay awake). There is a

difference.

6. Don’t watch the clock

Clock-checking tends to increase stress and mental math about sleep, neither of which

helps you sleep.

If you’re lying awake, your brain can start associating your bed with frustration instead of

sleep. Getting up and doing something calm (in low light) helps reset that association,

then return when you feel sleepy again.

Stress and Sleep Don't Get Along

The stress response: a big piece of the puzzle of sleep. Sleep and stress just don't mix well. When your body is in a stress response (often called “fight or flight”), it’s alert and activated, which isn't exactly ideal for sleep. Can you imagine trying to get some quality sleep on a roller coaster? What we’re aiming for instead is the “rest and digest” state.

Things that can trigger that stress response at night include:

● Worrying about sleep itself

● Thinking about the next day

● Scrolling or consuming stimulating content

● Replaying conversations or problems

Supporting your body to wind down

This is where tools come in. The goal isn’t to force sleep, but to create the conditions that allow it:

● Mindfulness meditation (bringing attention back to the present moment)

● Progressive muscle relaxation

● Gentle yoga

● Breathing exercises

● Body scan practices

Even brief check-ins during the day and setting reminders to pause, take a breath, notice how you feel, can make a difference over time. Consistency matters more than doing these “perfectly.”

A couple of common myths

“I should go to bed at the same time every night.”

Actually, a consistent wake-up time is more important. Bedtime should be guided by sleepiness, not the clock.

“My daytime fatigue must be because of insomnia.”

Not always. Fatigue can be influenced by many factors, such as stress, nutrition, hydration, movement, or even normal daily energy dips (think siestas between 1-3pm).

And… the surprising role of “sleep effort”. Here’s one of the most counterintuitive parts of all of this:

Trying really hard to sleep can make it harder to sleep.Constantly thinking about sleep, analyzing it, tracking it, perfecting routines, or worrying about it can increase mental and physical tension. This heightened state of alertness is the opposite of what sleep needs.

In many areas of life, effort leads to improvement. Sleep doesn’t quite work that way.

So if part of you is wondering, “Wait… am I trying too hard to sleep?” then you’re not alone.

The shift isn’t about giving up on sleep. It’s about redirecting your energy toward supporting

your body’s natural rhythms, rather than trying to control the outcome.

Making Space for Sleep

If you’ve been struggling with sleep for a while, it makes sense that you’ve tried different

strategies and that you might feel frustrated. CBT-I offers a different approach. Instead of chasing sleep directly, it focuses on understanding what’s getting in the way and gently changing the cognitive and behavioural patterns that keep insomnia going.

It’s not always intuitive, and it can take some consistency. But many people find that once they stop fighting sleep and start working with their body, things begin to shift.

And if nothing else, maybe this gives you permission to step out of “problem-solving mode” just a little bit and trust that sleep is something your body already knows how to do.

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About the Author

Lily is a Canadian Certified Counsellor based in Squamish. Her approach is grounded in

mindfulness, self-inquiry, and cultivating a witnessing awareness of thoughts, emotions, and

inner experience. She works with individuals and couples navigating anxiety, stress, relational

patterns, and life transitions, with a focus on gently uncovering the deeper beliefs that shape

experience. Through this work, she supports clients in developing greater self-compassion and reconnecting with a sense of ease and trust in their inner process.