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Persistent insomnia can affect far more than the night.

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Difficulty falling asleep, waking repeatedly, waking too early or feeling unable to obtain restorative sleep can affect concentration, mood, confidence, relationships and performance during the day.

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CBT-I Plus provides structured, confidential support for adults whose sleep difficulties have continued despite trying general sleep advice, relaxation techniques or changes to their routine.

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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 treatment designed specifically for persistent insomnia.

NICE identifies CBT-I as the recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia in adults, and it is used within NHS services.

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CBT-I addresses the thoughts, behaviours and conditioned responses that can cause sleep difficulties to continue.

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It involves more than general advice about having a dark bedroom, avoiding caffeine or following a regular bedtime.

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

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• understanding how sleep is regulated;

• reviewing sleep patterns and routines;

• strengthening the association between bed and sleep;

• adjusting the amount of time spent in bed;

• addressing anxiety and unhelpful beliefs about sleep;

• developing a consistent sleep-wake pattern;

• reducing behaviours that unintentionally maintain insomnia;

• planning how improvements will be maintained.

 

What Makes It CBT-I Plus?

 

CBT-I Plus is Sleep Well Hubs personalised approach to insomnia support.

 

It combines established CBT-I principles with selected techniques from:

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• Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP;

• clinical hypnosis;

• coaching and behavioural-change practice.

 

The additional techniques are used selectively rather than as a replacement for CBT-I.

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They may help an individual explore habitual thought patterns, emotional responses, sleep-related anxiety and the state of mental or physical alertness that can make it difficult to disengage at night.

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CBT-I remains the evidence-based foundation of the work.

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NLP and clinical hypnosis are additional elements of Mark’s approach and should not be understood as NHS-approved insomnia treatments or as being clinically proven to make CBT-I more effective.

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The Sleep Effort Trap™

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The harder someone tries to force sleep, the more elusive sleep can become.

 

They may:

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• monitor the clock repeatedly;

• calculate how many hours remain;

• go to bed increasingly early;

• stay in bed longer to compensate;

• cancel activities after a poor night;

• worry throughout the day about the coming night;

• treat sleep as a performance they must achieve.

 

This can create a cycle of pressure, frustration and heightened alertness.

 

The bedroom becomes associated with effort and worry rather than rest.

 

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

 

CBT-I Plus helps the individual understand and begin changing the thoughts, behaviours and conditioned responses that may be maintaining that cycle.

 

Who May Benefit?

 

CBT-I Plus may be suitable for adults who:

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• regularly struggle to fall asleep;

• wake during the night and cannot return to sleep;

• wake much earlier than intended;

• feel anxious or preoccupied about sleep;

• have experienced sleep difficulties for several months or longer;

• find that general sleep-hygiene advice has not helped;

• sleep differently when away from home or free from work pressure;

• spend long periods awake in bed;

• feel dependent on routines or behaviours intended to make sleep happen;

• experience a racing mind or heightened alertness at bedtime;

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

 

Suitability is considered during the initial consultation.

 

What the Process Involves:

 

Initial Sleep Consultation

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The process begins with a detailed discussion about:

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• the nature and history of the sleep difficulty;

• current sleep and wake patterns;

• work and lifestyle demands;

• physical and mental health;

• medication and substance use;

• previous attempts to improve sleep;

• the effect of sleep difficulties during the day;

• signs that medical assessment may be required.

 

You may be asked to complete a sleep diary or short questionnaires before or after the consultation.

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Personalised Sleep Plan

 

Following the assessment, we will explain which factors appear to be contributing to the problem and recommend an appropriate plan.

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The plan may include:

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• sleep education;

• CBT-I-based behavioural strategies;

• changes to time in bed or sleep scheduling;

• techniques for managing sleep-related worry;

• reducing unhelpful monitoring and sleep effort;

• strengthening the connection between bed and sleep;

• NLP-based techniques where appropriate;

• clinical hypnosis where appropriate;

• relaxation or down-regulation strategies;

• relapse-prevention planning.

 

The work is collaborative.

 

Recommendations are explained and agreed rather than imposed without discussion.

 

Review and Adjustment

 

Progress is reviewed regularly.

 

The plan may be adjusted according to:

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• sleep-diary information;

• changes in sleep patterns;

• daytime functioning;

• adherence to agreed strategies;

• work, family or health circumstances;

• difficulties encountered during the process.

 

Improvement is not always immediate or perfectly linear.

 

The aim is to develop sustainable changes and reduce dependence on short-term fixes.

 

How Many Sessions Are Required?

 

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

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Some people need a focused programme over several appointments. Others may need additional support where insomnia has been present for many years or is connected with significant anxiety, stress or changing working patterns.

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The recommended number and frequency of sessions will be discussed following the initial consultation.

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No programme can guarantee a specific outcome or promise that every individual will respond in the same way.

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Confidentiality

 

Individual sessions are confidential.

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Where an employer funds the support, personal details discussed during sessions are not shared with the organisation without the individual’s permission, except where disclosure is required by law or where there is an immediate and serious safety concern.

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The employer may receive limited administrative information, such as whether an appointment was attended, where this has been agreed in advance.

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Any broader organisational feedback should be anonymised and agreed with the individual.

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When Medical Assessment May Be Needed

 

CBT-I Plus is designed to support insomnia. It is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.

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

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You may be advised to speak to your GP or another regulated healthcare professional where there are signs of:

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• obstructive sleep apnoea;

• breathing pauses, gasping or choking during sleep;

• severe or unexplained daytime sleepiness;

• restless legs syndrome;

• unusual movements or behaviours during sleep;

• narcolepsy or another neurological sleep disorder;

• significant depression, anxiety or another mental-health condition;

• symptoms connected with medication, pain, hormones or another health issue;

• a condition requiring medication review;

• a level of sleepiness that may make driving or safety-critical work unsafe.

 

The NHS advises seeking medical assessment where breathing stops and starts during sleep, choking or gasping is observed, or severe daytime tiredness is present.

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People at higher risk of another sleep disorder, including sleep apnoea, may require medical assessment before beginning an insomnia programme.

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Where referral is appropriate, this is a responsible part of the service rather than a failure of the process.

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Medication

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Sleep Well Hub does not prescribe medication or advise clients to start, stop or alter prescribed medication.

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Any concerns about sleeping tablets, antidepressants or other medication should be discussed with the prescribing doctor or pharmacist.

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CBT-I can be used where someone is taking medication, but any medication change must remain under appropriate medical supervision.

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Clinical Hypnosis

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Clinical hypnosis may be offered as one element of CBT-I Plus where it is considered appropriate and the individual is comfortable using it.

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It is a collaborative process intended to support focused attention, relaxation and work with habitual responses.

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You remain aware and in control throughout the session.

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Clinical hypnosis is not mind control, does not make someone unconscious and cannot compel someone to act against their wishes.

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It is not required. CBT-I Plus can proceed without hypnosis where the individual prefers.

 

NLP

 

Selected NLP techniques may be used to explore patterns of thinking, language, expectation and behaviour associated with sleep.

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

 

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

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Support for Employers

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CBT-I Plus can be commissioned by an employer as confidential support for an employee or senior leader.

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It may be appropriate where persistent sleep difficulties are affecting:

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• attendance;

• concentration;

• decision-making;

• resilience;

• confidence;

• recovery from demanding work;

• the ability to work safely and effectively.

 

Individual treatment should not replace an organisation’s responsibility to manage workload, working hours, shifts, staffing and fatigue risk.

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Where wider organisational factors appear to be contributing to sleep or recovery difficulties, Sleep Well Hub may recommend a separate Workforce Recovery Review or organisational intervention.

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About Mark Phillips

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Mark Phillips is the founder of Sleep Well Hub.

He combines training in sleep and insomnia support with experience in coaching, NLP and clinical hypnosis.

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His wider professional background includes more than 35 years in the British Army and Police Service, together with work in Non-Technical Skills, fatigue, recovery and human performance across safety-critical industries.

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This allows him to understand both the personal experience of insomnia and the operational pressures that may sit behind it.

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Important Information

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CBT-I Plus is a personalised sleep-support service.

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It does not provide emergency medical care, psychiatric treatment or medical diagnosis.

 

It should not be used as an alternative to contacting a GP, regulated healthcare professional or emergency service where urgent help is required.

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Results vary between individuals, and no specific outcome can be guaranteed.

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Book an Initial Sleep Consultation

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The first step is an initial consultation to understand your sleep difficulties, discuss suitability and identify the most appropriate next step.

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Book Your Initial Sleep Consultation

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Alternatively, contact Sleep Well Hub to ask a confidential question before booking.