Research Spotlight: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in MCI

Sleep problems are common in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). However, many over the counter sleep aides can make memory and other thinking problems worse. That's why behavioral interventions, like the one featured in this study, are appealing alternatives to medication treatments.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one such non-medicine approach to treating problems falling asleep (or falling back to sleep after waking in the night). Usually this involves a mix of techniques to quiet the mind from thoughts that might interfere with falling asleep, as well as shifting behaviors and the environment associated with falling asleep. Read more about the principles of the approach here.

Now, a new study demonstrates that CBT for insomnia can help people with MCI who have trouble with their sleep. Check out the write-up here for all the details! If you're interested in receiving this type of treatment to help with your sleep, reach out to your primary care provider to see if they can refer you to a therapist or psychologist with expertise in this area.

Have you already had success with this approach? Please share below!