One of the reasons why poor sleep quality can be so unsettling for our clients is because of the unhelpful thinking patterns that surround it. Help clients struggling with insomnia to improve their coping strategies by guiding them through more useful and realistic cognitions using these prompts and questions:
What is the worst thing that could happen if you don't get enough sleep? (Cue client to think about what they did after one of the worst nights of sleep they have had.)
What is the most realistic thing that will happen if you don't get enough sleep based on your previous experience? (Cue client to examine how they are functioning today or a day in the past that they had a poor night's sleep.)
If the worst thing did happen, how could you cope with that? (What tools does the client already have? What coping tools can you as the therapist introduce to them?)
What are some positive things that could come out of not sleeping? (For example, getting to read that book we never have time for or getting some extra work done.)
Just because you aren't sleeping well tonight doesn't mean you'll never sleep well again. You've at least slept a little better in the past.
What can you do today to work toward improving your sleep that you haven't already tried? (This can be a lead-in or continuation of environmental, behavioral, and sensory sleep strategies learned in therapy sessions.)
It is likely that because you have missed sleep tonight, you will be sleepier and sleep better tomorrow.
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