Personalised Support for Persistent Insomnia

 

Persistent insomnia can affect far more than the night.

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Difficulty falling asleep, waking repeatedly, waking too early or spending long periods awake in bed can affect your concentration, mood, confidence, relationships and ability to function during the day.

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You may have already tried sleep routines, relaxation, supplements, apps or general sleep-hygiene advice without achieving lasting improvement.

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CBT-I Plus provides structured, confidential support for adults whose sleep difficulties have become persistent.

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The aim is to understand what is maintaining the problem and develop a personalised plan to help restore a more natural relationship with sleep.

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Book Your Free 15-Minute Sleep Clarity Call

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What Is CBT-I?

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CBT-I stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia.

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It is an evidence-based psychological treatment specifically designed for persistent insomnia.

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CBT-I works by addressing the thoughts, behaviours and conditioned responses that can keep insomnia going after it has become established.

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NHS insomnia guidance explains that cognitive behavioural therapy can help change thoughts and behaviours that prevent sleep, and specialist NHS insomnia services use CBT-I as an evidence-based treatment for insomnia.

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CBT-I is more than general advice about having a dark bedroom, reducing caffeine or maintaining a bedtime routine.

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Depending on the individual, CBT-I principles may include:

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• understanding how sleep is regulated;

• reviewing sleep and wake patterns;

• strengthening the association between bed and sleep;

• adjusting time spent in bed;

• developing a more consistent sleep-wake pattern;

• addressing sleep-related worry and unhelpful beliefs;

• reducing behaviours that unintentionally maintain insomnia;

• planning how improvements can be maintained.

 

What Makes It CBT-I Plus?

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CBT-I Plus is Sleep Well Hub's personalised approach to insomnia support.

 

CBT-I principles remain the foundation of the work.

 

Where appropriate, we may also draw selectively on:

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• coaching;

• behavioural-change techniques;

• Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP;

• clinical hypnosis.

 

These additional approaches are used to explore factors such as habitual thought patterns, emotional responses, sleep-related anxiety and the heightened mental or physical alertness that can make it difficult to disengage at night.

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They are additional elements of the Sleep Well Hub approach rather than replacements for CBT-I.

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CBT-I Plus should therefore not be understood as a separate NHS-approved insomnia treatment or as clinically proven to be superior to standard CBT-I.

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The purpose of the “Plus” is personalisation.

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Why Can Insomnia Continue Even When the Original Problem Has Gone?

 

Insomnia may begin during a period of:

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• stress;

• illness;

• pain;

• bereavement;

• anxiety;

• work pressure;

• shift changes;

• family disruption;

• another major life event.

 

Sometimes the original trigger improves, but the sleep problem remains.

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You may begin changing your behaviour in an understandable attempt to protect your sleep.

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For example, you might:

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• go to bed earlier;

• stay in bed longer;

• cancel activities after a poor night;

• monitor the clock;

• calculate how many hours of sleep remain;

• worry throughout the day about the coming night;

• become increasingly dependent on routines;

• try harder and harder to make yourself sleep.

 

Over time, these responses can unintentionally strengthen the insomnia pattern.

 

CBT-I aims to identify and change the factors that are now maintaining the problem.

 

The Sleep Effort Trap

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Can Trying Harder to Sleep Make Insomnia Worse?

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Yes.

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Sleep is not something that can be forced.

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The harder someone tries to make sleep happen, the more important and pressured sleep can become.

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You may:

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• monitor whether you feel sleepy;

• watch the clock repeatedly;

• calculate how much sleep you are losing;

• go to bed increasingly early;

• stay in bed longer to compensate;

• worry about how you will cope tomorrow;

• treat sleep as something you must successfully achieve.

 

This can create a cycle of:

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poor sleep → worry → increased effort → heightened alertness → more difficulty sleeping

 

The bedroom can gradually become associated with frustration, vigilance and effort rather than rest.

 

Sleep Well Hub refers to this pattern as the Sleep Effort Trap.

 

CBT-I Plus helps you identify and begin changing the thoughts, behaviours and conditioned responses that may be keeping that cycle going.

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Link: Read More About the Sleep Effort Trap

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Who May Benefit From CBT-I Plus?

 

CBT-I Plus may be suitable if you:

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• regularly struggle to fall asleep;

• wake during the night and cannot easily return to sleep;

• wake much earlier than intended;

• spend long periods awake in bed;

• have experienced sleep difficulties for several months or longer;

• feel anxious or preoccupied about sleep;

• have a racing mind or heightened alertness at bedtime;

• find that general sleep advice has not helped;

• sleep better when away from normal pressures;

• have become dependent on routines intended to make sleep happen;

• worry about the effect poor sleep will have the following day;

• want a structured, non-medication-based approach.

 

NHS guidance describes long-term insomnia as sleep difficulty lasting three times a week for three months or more.

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Suitability is considered during the initial consultation.

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What Does the CBT-I Plus Process Involve?

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1. Initial Sleep Consultation

 

The process begins by understanding your sleep rather than immediately prescribing a standard solution.

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We may discuss:

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• when the sleep problem began;

• how it has changed;

• current sleep and wake patterns;

• difficulty falling asleep;

• night waking;

• early waking;

• time spent awake in bed;

• daytime tiredness and functioning;

• work and lifestyle demands;

• stress and anxiety;

• physical health;

• medication;

• previous attempts to improve sleep;

• factors that appear to make sleep better or worse.

 

You may also be asked to complete a sleep diary or short questionnaires.

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This helps build a clearer picture of the pattern.

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2. Personalised Sleep Plan

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Once the pattern is clearer, we explain what appears to be contributing to the problem and agree an appropriate plan.

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Depending on your circumstances, this may include:

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• sleep education;

• CBT-I behavioural strategies;

• adjustments to sleep timing or time in bed;

• strengthening the relationship between bed and sleep;

• reducing sleep-related monitoring;

• addressing sleep effort;

• strategies for sleep-related worry;

• changes to unhelpful routines;

• coaching and behavioural-change techniques;

• NLP-based techniques where appropriate;

• clinical hypnosis where appropriate;

• relaxation or down-regulation strategies;

• planning for setbacks and future maintenance.

 

The work is collaborative.

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Recommendations are explained and agreed rather than simply imposed.

 

3. Review and Adjustment

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Sleep improvement is not always immediate or perfectly linear.

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Progress is reviewed and the plan can be adjusted according to:

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• your sleep diary;

• changes in your sleep pattern;

• how you function during the day;

• how the agreed strategies are working;

• changes in work, family or health circumstances;

• difficulties encountered during the process.

 

The aim is sustainable improvement rather than dependence on short-term fixes.

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What Is Clinical Hypnosis and Do I Have to Use It?

 

No.

 

Clinical hypnosis is optional.

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Where appropriate, it may be used as one element of CBT-I Plus to support focused attention, relaxation and work with habitual responses.

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You remain aware and in control during the process.

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It is not required for CBT-I Plus, and the programme can proceed without hypnosis if you do not want to use it.

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Why Might NLP Be Used?

 

Selected NLP techniques may be used to explore patterns involving:

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• language;

• expectations;

• habitual thinking;

• emotional responses;

• learned associations;

• behaviour around sleep.

 

NLP is used as a complementary element of Sleep Well Hubs approach.

 

It is not presented as a replacement for CBT-I, medical treatment or regulated psychological care.

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How Many Sessions Will I Need?

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The number of sessions depends on the nature, duration and complexity of the sleep problem.

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Some people may need a focused programme over several appointments.

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Others may require additional support where insomnia has been present for many years or is closely connected with anxiety, stress or changing life circumstances.

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The recommended approach will be discussed after your sleep has been assessed.

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No specific outcome can be guaranteed, and people respond differently to sleep interventions.

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Can CBT-I Plus Help If I Am Taking Sleeping Medication?

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CBT-I principles can be used with people who are taking medication.

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Sleep Well Hub does not prescribe medication and will not advise you to start, stop or alter medication prescribed by a healthcare professional.

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Any concerns about sleeping tablets, antidepressants or other medication should be discussed with your GP, prescribing clinician or pharmacist.

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When Might Medical Assessment Be Needed?

 

CBT-I Plus is intended to support insomnia.

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It is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.

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Some sleep difficulties can be caused or complicated by another sleep, medical or psychological condition.

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You may be advised to speak with your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional if your symptoms suggest another condition may need investigation.

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Examples include:

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• breathing stopping and starting during sleep;

• gasping or choking during sleep;

• loud snoring accompanied by significant daytime sleepiness;

• severe or unexplained daytime sleepiness;

• a strong urge to move the legs when resting at night;

• unusual movements or behaviours during sleep;

• sudden uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep;

• symptoms that may relate to medication, pain or another health condition.

 

The NHS advises medical assessment where symptoms suggest sleep apnoea and advises seeing a GP where restless-leg symptoms significantly affect sleep. Excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks can also warrant assessment for conditions such as narcolepsy.

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Where medical assessment is appropriate, identifying that is part of responsible sleep support.

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Is CBT-I Plus Confidential?

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Yes.

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Individual sessions are confidential.

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Information about your personal circumstances is not shared with employers, family members or other organisations without your permission, except where disclosure may be required by law or where there is a serious safeguarding concern.

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What Is the Difference Between CBT-I Plus and Sleep Coaching?

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Sleep coaching can be useful where someone needs practical support around habits, routines, lifestyle, working patterns or recovery.

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CBT-I Plus is more specifically focused on persistent insomnia and the thoughts, behaviours and conditioned responses that may be maintaining it.

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You do not need to decide which approach you need before contacting Sleep Well Hub.

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The Sleep Clarity Call is designed to help determine the most appropriate starting point.

Link: Explore Sleep Coaching

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Is CBT-I the same as sleep hygiene?

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No.

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Sleep hygiene refers mainly to general habits and environmental factors that may support sleep.

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CBT-I is a structured approach that addresses the behavioural and cognitive processes involved in persistent insomnia.

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Is CBT-I Plus the same as standard CBT-I?

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No.

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CBT-I Plus is Sleep Well Hub's personalised approach built around CBT-I principles, with coaching, NLP or clinical hypnosis incorporated selectively where appropriate.

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Can CBT-I help if I wake repeatedly during the night?

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Yes. CBT-I is used for persistent insomnia that can involve difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep or waking too early.

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Can CBT-I help if my mind will not switch off?

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A racing mind and sleep-related worry are common features of persistent insomnia. CBT-I can address thoughts and behaviours that keep someone awake, while CBT-I Plus may also use additional techniques where appropriate.

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Do I need to stop sleeping tablets before starting?

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No.  Do not change prescribed medication without speaking with the clinician responsible for your medication.

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Do I have to use hypnosis?

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No.

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Clinical hypnosis is optional and only used where it appears appropriate and you are comfortable with it.

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Is CBT-I Plus available online?

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Yes. Sessions can be delivered online where appropriate.

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Do I need a GP referral?

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No.  You can contact Sleep Well Hub directly.

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Where symptoms suggest another sleep or medical condition, you may be advised to seek medical assessment.

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About Mark Phillips

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Mark Phillips is the founder of Sleep Well Hub.

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His work combines sleep and insomnia support with coaching, NLP and clinical hypnosis.

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He also brings more than 45 years' experience across the Army, policing and safety-critical industries, including work involving fatigue, recovery and human performance.

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His approach is practical and individual.

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The objective is not simply to give you more sleep information.

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It is to understand what appears to be keeping your sleep problem going and help you develop a realistic route forward.

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Fees

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The initial 90-minute sleep assessment is £140.

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Follow-up 60 minute appointments are £120 and can be delivered online or in person.

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A six-appointment CBT-I Plus programme is £695, including:

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• the initial 90-minute assessment;

• five follow-up appointments;

• ongoing review and adjustment of your personalised sleep plan.

 

The number of appointments required varies according to your sleep difficulty, circumstances and progress.

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Some people may need fewer sessions, while others may benefit from a more structured programme.

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We will discuss the most appropriate approach with you after the initial assessment.

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Start by Understanding What Is Keeping You Awake

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If you have been struggling with persistent insomnia, you do not need to decide whether CBT-I Plus is right for you before making contact.

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Start with a free 15-minute Sleep Clarity Call.

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We will discuss:

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• what is happening with your sleep;

• how long it has been happening;

• what you have already tried;

• how it is affecting your days;

• whether CBT-I Plus or another form of support appears more appropriate.

 

No pressure. No obligation.

 

Book Your Free 15-Minute Sleep Clarity Call

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