Find the Way to Your Best Sleep Ever

Week of July 3, 2021

Why is sleep important and how do I know if I have a problem?
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.

Women and Sleep: Normal changes, what isn’t normal and what can we do about it
Over 60% of American women have trouble with insomnia, and addressing this issue is more complex than for men as hormonal changes throughout the lifetime significantly contributes to the problem. All too often, women suffer in silence, fearing that poor sleep will jeopardize work, relationships, parenting and health. This program will discuss normal/abnormal sleep changes as women age, what requires more evaluation from a sleep doctor, and what to do when behavioral interventions are simply not enough.

Insomnia: 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 course will introduce key concepts to insomnia treatment, from creating the ideal bedroom environment to finding the right bedtime/waketime intervals for sleep consolidation.

Meditation and sleep
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. Simple mindfulness meditation exercises will be discussed and practiced, and ways to use mindfulness appropriately to help enhance sleep will reviewed.

 

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.