Going through adult therapy does not signal a sign of weakness. In fact, going through adult therapy is a sign of courage to tackle life’s toughest problems head-on instead of allowing issues to fester long enough to become major obstacles in your life. You do not need to suffer from the symptoms of depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSP) to reap the benefits of adult therapy. Adult therapy techniques address a large assortment of personal issues, including the inability to get a restful night’s sleep.
Sleep represents one of the most effective ways to boost your health. It rejuvenates both the mind and body, as well as makes you feel ready to go when the alarm goes off at whatever time of day you rise and shine. However, because of hectic lives that generate plenty of stress, falling and staying asleep at night can be a challenge. Even if you feel exhausted after a long day, your exhaustion does not mean you can expect to get a restful night of sleep.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), therapy “psychotherapy is a collaborative treatment based on the relationship between an individual and a psychologist.” Nearly 75 percent of those enrolled in some type of therapy program benefit from working with a therapist to address the issues that often develop in their lives. The benefits include taking fewer sick days at work and experiencing a significantly lower number of physical ailments.
As we are about to discover, adult therapy is also an effective strategy to address restless sleep patterns.
How Does Adult Therapy Benefit Sleep?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) defines insomnia or chronic restless sleep as having difficulty initiating the sleep sequence, as well as failing to maintain a consistent pattern of sleep. Frequent nighttime wake-up calls indicate a restless sleep pattern, along with waking up early and failing to fall back to sleep. Quality of sleep is also an issue because both the mind and body fail to recover fully. As the AASM explains, “These symptoms of insomnia can be caused by a variety of biological, psychological and social factors. They most often result in an inadequate amount of sleep, even though the sufferer has the opportunity to get a full night of sleep.”
Cognitive behavioral therapy represents one type of adult therapy that addresses restless sleep issues. The Beck Institute calls cognitive behavioral therapy as “a time-sensitive, structured, present-oriented psychotherapy that helps individuals identify goals that are most important to them and overcome obstacles that get in the way.” The Mayo Clinic states that “cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a structured program that helps you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems with habits that promote sound sleep. Unlike sleeping pills, CBT helps you overcome the underlying causes of your sleep problems.”
Cognitive behavioral therapy guides patients through the process of restructuring the thought process. It helps identify the negative thoughts that keep us awake at night. After identifying negative thoughts, cognitive behavioral therapy then challenges the negative thoughts by helping patients focus on the more positive events that are happening in their lives. Cognitive behavioral therapy represents the most effective approach to helping patients relax, which is the key to regaining restful sleep.EMDR therapy is another option to help patients address the issues that inhibit the achieving of quality sleep.