Insomnia Treatment in Lahore: Causes and CBT-I
Assessment and treatment for chronic insomnia, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and careful, time-limited medication use where appropriate.
Chronic insomnia affects a significant proportion of adults and often becomes self-perpetuating, as anxiety about not sleeping itself interferes with sleep. Fortunately, insomnia is highly treatable with structured, evidence-based approaches.
Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Zafar provides thorough assessment of insomnia, identifying underlying contributing factors and building a treatment plan centred on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia, the recommended first-line treatment.
Types of Insomnia
- Sleep-onset insomnia — difficulty falling asleep
- Sleep-maintenance insomnia — frequent awakenings during the night
- Early-morning awakening — waking earlier than desired and being unable to fall back asleep
- Acute insomnia — short-term, often stress-related
- Chronic insomnia — occurring at least three nights weekly for three months or longer
Causes and Contributing Factors
- Underlying anxiety or depression
- Poor sleep habits or irregular sleep schedule
- Excessive caffeine or alcohol use
- Chronic pain or other medical conditions
- Hyperarousal and conditioned anxiety about sleep itself
- Shift work or jet lag
Assessment
Assessment includes a detailed sleep history, review of sleep hygiene and habits, and screening for underlying psychiatric or medical contributors, since insomnia is often a symptom of an underlying condition as much as a standalone problem.
Treatment
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I is the recommended first-line treatment, combining stimulus control, sleep restriction, cognitive restructuring around sleep-related worry, and relaxation techniques, with strong evidence for long-term, sustained improvement.
Medication
Medication may be used short-term for acute insomnia or alongside CBT-I in specific circumstances, with careful attention to avoiding dependence with longer-term use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to take sleeping tablets long-term?
Long-term use of some sleep medications carries risks of dependence and tolerance, which is why CBT-I is recommended as the primary long-term treatment approach.
What is CBT-I?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia is a structured, short-term therapy that retrains sleep patterns and addresses the thoughts and behaviours that maintain insomnia, with strong long-term evidence.
Can anxiety cause insomnia?
Yes, anxiety is one of the most common contributors to insomnia, and treating the underlying anxiety often improves sleep significantly.
How long does treatment take to work?
Many people notice improvement within a few weeks of starting CBT-I, though full benefits typically develop over six to eight weeks.
Expert Care
Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Zafar provides a structured, evidence-based approach to chronic insomnia, addressing both sleep patterns and any underlying psychiatric contributors.
This page is provided for general educational purposes and does not replace an individual psychiatric assessment.
Common signs & symptoms
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Frequent night-time awakenings
- Waking too early and being unable to return to sleep
- Non-restorative sleep
- Daytime fatigue, irritability or poor concentration
- Anxiety about sleep itself
- Symptoms occurring at least three nights a week for three months or more (chronic insomnia)
Treatment approach
- → Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) — first-line treatment
- → Sleep hygiene education
- → Stimulus control and sleep restriction techniques
- → Short-term, carefully monitored medication for acute insomnia
- → Treatment of underlying anxiety, depression or other contributing conditions
- → Addressing substance use (caffeine, alcohol) affecting sleep
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to take sleeping tablets long-term?
Long-term use of some sleep medications carries risks of dependence and tolerance, which is why CBT-I is recommended as the primary long-term treatment approach.
What is CBT-I?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia is a structured, short-term therapy that retrains sleep patterns and addresses the thoughts and behaviours that maintain insomnia, with strong long-term evidence.
Can anxiety cause insomnia?
Yes, anxiety is one of the most common contributors to insomnia, and treating the underlying anxiety often improves sleep significantly.
How long does treatment take to work?
Many people notice improvement within a few weeks of starting CBT-I, though full benefits typically develop over six to eight weeks.