Find the Way to Your Best Sleep Ever

Week of July 1, 2023

Insomnia Treatment: Medication Isn’t the Only Answer!
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line recommended treatment for insomnia, ahead of medication. This talk will introduce key concepts to behavioral treatment for insomnia, from creating the ideal bedroom environment to finding the right bedtime/wake time intervals for sleep consolidation, and when medication may be necessary.

Why is Sleep Important and How Do I know if I Have a Sleep Disorder?
We are a chronically sleep-deprived world. As more and more demands take up our time, sleep becomes less and less of a priority for far too many people. In this course, we will discuss why sleep is essential to our overall well-being. In addition, common sleep issues will be discussed to help you understand whether further evaluation for a sleep disorder is necessary. Differences between men and women’s sleep – throughout the lifespan – will also be addressed in detail.

Stress Reduction to Quiet the Nighttime Brain
We are an overstimulated society, and with more demands comes a greater challenge to quiet the brain at bedtime to allow sleep to come. Mindfulness meditation has been increasingly incorporated into insomnia programs, helping to dim the brain at night and prepare for sleep. Cognitive and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy strategies for the busy brain will also be introduced. Simple mindfulness meditation exercises will be discussed and practiced, and ways to use mindfulness appropriately to help enhance sleep will be reviewed. Stress reduction techniques will also be reviewed in detail to help reduce the mental load that so many of us bring to bed at night.

Couple’s Sleep Issues / Ask the Sleep Doc Anything!
The field of sleep medicine is starting to really think about couples in terms of sleep. What are common sleep and relationship issues that come up with people sharing a bed? What are some treatment strategies so both partners can get a good night’s sleep? When is it time to sleep apart? We’ll combine this talk with an “Ask the Sleep Doc Anything” so you can better figure out what to do to improve your sleep when you return home.

 

Dr. Shelby Harris is a clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia (WW Norton Books, 2019). She specializes in behavioral sleep medicine, working to improve her clients’ sleep using evidence-based methods that do not rely upon medication. Her unique expertise is frequently sought out by colleagues, well-respected medical institutions and media outlets world-wide.

Website: www.drshelbyharris.com

Instagram: @SleepDocShelby

The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Relying on Medication
Available now from W.W. Norton Books