The answer is yes: CBT-I works if you are taking sleeping pills for insomnia. It also works if you are taking a 'supplement' for insomnia, it works if you are taking an over-the-counter drug for insomnia, and it works if you aren't taking any medication or supplement for insomnia.
More about CBT-I in these videos:
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In my experience, most people who are taking sleeping pills when they start a course of CBT-I have a natural desire to reduce their intake of medication as they begin to regain confidence in their own natural ability to sleep. When this happens, I encourage them to discuss a tapering-off plan with their prescribing doctor.
The only time CBT-I may not be effective when it comes to taking sleeping pills is if you take sleeping pills contingently (ie, you don’t take them but if you find it hard to sleep, then you do take them).
Not only does taking a sleeping pill contingently increase the risk of next-day fatigue and drowsiness (because the pill might be taken later in the night), but any time you do sleep after taking a pill contingently you might think that you only slept because of that pill.
In reality, you slept because you were sufficiently sleepy for sleep and you were likely less worried/anxious about your sleep because you took something ’to help you sleep’.
Since one of the key outcomes of CBT-I is regaining confidence in your own ability to sleep, taking sleeping pills contingently can sabotage your progress. Therefore, the only time I believe CBT-I can be ineffective when combined with sleeping pills is if you take sleeping pills contingently.
In conclusion:
1. CBT-I is effective if you are taking sleeping pills for insomnia.
2. CBT-I is effective if you are tapering-off sleeping pills for insomnia.
3. CBT-I is effective if you are not taking sleeping pills for insomnia.
4. CBT-I may not be effective if you regularly take sleeping pills contingently.
As a reminder, I am not a doctor. You should not make any changes to your medication regimen without talking to your doctor first.
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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at [ Ссылка ]
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All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.
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