Sleep
Disorders Center
Conditioned
Insomnia Stimulus Control
Here are some techniques for treating conditioned insomnia:
1.
Go
to bed when you are sleepy, not earlier. Limiting your
time in bed helps to consolidate and deepen your sleep.
Excessively long times in bed lead to fragmented and shallow
sleep.
2.
Get
up at the same time every day, seven days a week. A regular
wake time helps you fall asleep more easily at night, and
helps set your "biological clock."
3.
Sleep
only in bed. Sleeping on other locations at home may make
it more difficult to sleep in bed.
4.
Use
the bedroom only for sleeping and sexual activity. Avoid
reading, watching TV, eating, or talking on the phone in
bed. This will help you sleep in bed and stay awake when
you are not in bed.
5.
If
you cannot fall asleep, do not "try harder" to
fall asleep. This often makes the problem worse. Instead,
get out of bed, go to another room, and do something quietly
(such as reading a book) until you become sleepy again.
Avoid television, computer use, snacks, or tobacco use,
as these can make you more alert. Return to bed only when
you become sleepy again. Get up at your regular time in
the morning, no matter how much you slept.
