Sleep Restriction Therapy

What is Sleep Restriction Therapy?

Core CBT-I technique that temporarily limits time in bed to match actual sleep time, creating mild sleep deprivation that increases sleep drive and consolidates fragmented sleep. Counterintuitive but highly effective for insomnia.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Sleep Restriction Therapy?

1. 1.Keep a 2-week sleep diary: record when you get in bed, when you fall asleep, wake times, and when you get out of bed
2. 2.Calculate your average total sleep time (e.g., 5.5 hours) — this becomes your initial 'sleep window'
3. 3.Set a fixed wake time and count backwards: if you sleep 5.5 hours and wake at 6am, don't get in bed before 12:30am
4. 4.Never reduce the window below 5 hours regardless of calculations
5. 5.When sleep efficiency (time asleep / time in bed) reaches 85%+, extend the window by 15 minutes; repeat weekly

How long does it take?

15 min/day for diary + following the protocol.

Is it hard to start?

hard.

> how Shift handles sleep

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