Anyone succesfully use CBTI to improve sleep?

[Benzi]

Hi friends

I finally got to talk to the sleep doctor (after 4 months waiting). She recommended I try to use CBTI to improve my sleep quality. Has anyone here had success with this? (No failure stories please - I have enough worries as it is.)

Thanks, and have a great wakeful day!

[Dawnstar]

Several years ago after a few years on various PAP therapy devices, I still had largely unrefreshing sleep, even with my apnea well controlled with an average AHI under 2. My sleep specialist referred me to a local sleep psychologist who was trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). It was difficult at first but after several months I was back on track. Before, it was as if my brain had lost the ability to distinguish between sleepiness and exhaustion and my brain had to relearn how to sleep well. I’m told this is not uncommon among sleep apnea patients. 

I’ve been following this therapy for over three years now, and while I still occasionally run aground, it’s relatively easy to get back on track.

[Utah Desert Rat]

Has anyone here had success with this?

I had spectacular success with sleep restriction therapy, which is usually included in CBTI in one form or other.  My doc then was a prominent sleep doc at Johns Hopkins. I had to stay awake until 3 a.m. and only sleep until 8 a.m. for one week, then change bedtime to 2:30 a.m. for another week (while still arising at 8), and so on until you hit 8 hours sleep. Early in the therapy I was an absolute zombie, but I stuck to it religiously. That was something like 6 years ago, and today, as long as I keep the usual sleep "hygiene" rules (no naps, consistent bed/arise time, bed used only for sleep and sex), I go to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and sleep for a good 8 hours. Sleep quality was excellent until a medication-related issue came up, which is now being nicely addressed by my ResMed ASV.

Hope that helps!