Sleep problems plague just about everyone at some point in their lives. Spending even a single night tossing and turning in bed can leave you feeling groggy the next day. When you struggle with falling asleep before a big event or because you napped earlier in the day, you might not have much to worry about. Temporary bouts of sleeplessness are common, and you should feel well-rested again once you regain your normal sleep habits.
Insomnia, however, is a very different experience. People with insomnia tend to struggle with sleep at least three nights per week or for more than three months. But, those with insomnia may also find that they can’t catch enough sleep most days of the week, which wreaks havoc on their mental health and productivity.
If you struggle with insomnia, then you can rest assured that you are not alone. Current research reveals that around 33% of adults in the U.S. have insomnia, and nearly 27% are unaware that they have the condition. Being aware of your need for help with insomnia already puts you a step ahead in improving your mental health, and Granite Recovery Centers offers several important methods for helping you recover your ability to sleep well.
The Connection Between Insomnia and Mental Health
Feeling tired or easily frustrated is common among anyone who misses a night of sleep. For those who struggle with insomnia, the effects can be even greater. Insomnia has a strong association with several coexisting disorders, and these include depression and anxiety. People who have a history of substance use disorders also tend to have a higher prevalence of insomnia.
Being unable to sleep could be a side effect of certain substances. For instance, stimulants may prevent your mind and body from relaxing and from falling asleep. Alternatively, some people may opt to use substances to help them sleep, which could lead to a physical dependency. In either case, seeking professional therapy will be beneficial to help you uncover the cause of your insomnia.
Consequences of Untreated Insomnia
Untreated insomnia and common mental health disorders, such as depression, have a positive association. This means that leaving insomnia untreated could increase the symptoms that you experience with depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. People with insomnia are also at a greater risk of engaging in self-harm, especially when they lack professional support, which includes providing them with effective coping strategies.
Allowing your insomnia to go untreated also increases your risk of developing health conditions that impact your physical well-being, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Naturally, being unable to get enough sleep could also impact other critical aspects of your life. For instance, showing up at work after a sleepless night could cause you to experience a loss of productivity that your supervisor notices. Or, you might opt out of attending special events with your family and friends because you feel fatigued.
Eventually, skipping social events, experiencing problems at work or feeling unwell from new physical health conditions can all impact your mental well-being. While learning about the effects of untreated insomnia on your life might be distressing, it’s important to remember that help is available. You don’t have to suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation when you know how to reach out to a treatment program that is staffed with caring professionals who understand how to address both insomnia and mental health conditions.
Treatment for insomnia can have far-reaching effects on your life. Waking up feeling refreshed in the morning will help you be mentally strong as you encounter challenges during your day. Getting proper rest also fills your body with more energy that makes it easier to attend therapy sessions, participate in recreational activities and explore new ways to improve your overall physical and mental well-being.
Granite Recovery Centers’ Approach to Treating Insomnia
At Granite Recovery Centers, our team takes a multifaceted approach to treating insomnia and any other coexisting mental health disorders. When you first arrive at one of our treatment centers, you’ll undergo a comprehensive physical and mental health exam that will give you a better understanding of what is impacting your well-being.
Once you’ve completed your initial exam, you’ll then talk to a member of our team who can help you understand the issues that are impacting your mental health. While you may already know or suspect certain conditions, it is also common to learn about a new diagnosis. In either case, you’ll be guided by a supportive member of our team each step of the way.
Granite Recovery Centers’ expertise in sleep disorders makes it possible for our staff to offer you a wide range of potential solutions to explore for improving your ability to get enough rest while you work on other aspects of your mental health. Currently, we offer our evidence-based
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), which is known for helping people learn to cope with both mental health issues and physical conditions, including insomnia.
We also offer several other treatment methods that allow you to benefit from a full range of options for improving your mental health. Choosing an integrated treatment plan allows you to take advantage of multiple evidence-based forms of care that can all work together to provide you with a way to move forward toward better overall well-being.
Integrated Treatment Strategies
Studies show that integrated sleep therapies can have a positive impact on the prevention and treatment of depression in vulnerable adults. For instance, one study showed that receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) cut a group of seniors’ experience with developing major depressive disorder in half, compared to a group who received only sleep education.
While everyone responds to therapies differently, our team finds that offering multiple forms of care provides a higher chance of success in addressing both insomnia and preventing serious symptoms of common mental health conditions. In addition to CBT, our centers also offer dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), 12-step programs, anger management therapies and a rehabilitation program, called Illness Management and Recovery, that can help you see positive benefits in every aspect of your psychological well-being.
Receive Personalized Care
Similar to how some people like white noise when they sleep while others prefer complete silence, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for insomnia. Making sure that you attend a treatment program that offers personalized care for sleep issues ensures that your recovery isn’t impacted by sleepless nights.
If you need inpatient treatment, then it helps to know that our centers offer safe and comfortable residential facilities that allow you to recover in a place that fosters good sleep habits. Our centers discourage the use of electronics during treatment, which gives you an instant place to start learning how to sleep in an environment that fosters proper rest.
For those who attend an intensive outpatient program or partial hospitalization program, our therapists will assist with assessing your current sleep environment and habits to determine where you might benefit from making changes at home. We believe that treating each person as an individual provides the best possible outcomes for addressing insomnia.
Your personalized care plan will also include holistic insomnia treatment that addresses all the possible causes of your restlessness at night. For example, we offer yoga therapy at our centers. A study found that people were able to get to sleep around 37% faster after a few weeks of practicing yoga. You’ll find that using this strategy could improve your insomnia. Plus, yoga helps to reduce stress, which has many benefits for improving your mental health.
With both inpatient and outpatient care, you’ll undergo therapy that may include one or several models that are all evidence-based and effective for improving insomnia and mental health symptoms. Our team also focuses on making sure that your personalized care plan includes strategies that you can continue to use at home when your primary treatment is over.
Aftercare planning helps you to seamlessly make the transition to living in your normal environment without experiencing setbacks. As you near the end of your treatment in one of our centers, you’ll work closely with your care team to develop a plan that may include continuing in group therapy sessions, finding places to continue your recreational therapy and creating a supportive network of people that you can turn to when life gets stressful.
Explore Our Success Stories
Mental health treatment requires a personalized approach, but you can also benefit from hearing about how others found success in improving their well-being. While dealing with a substance use disorder may make recovery seem impossible, the truth is that around three out of every four people will find a way to change their behavior for the better. The road to recovery looks different for everyone. While some may need to work on dealing with only a substance use disorder, others may have multiple mental health conditions that influence their emotions throughout the day.
Our treatment plans include an intense focus on learning from the other people who visit our centers for recovery. Listening to someone share their struggles with insomnia in a group therapy session helps you to not feel so alone. You may also gain motivation for improving your mental health from hearing how others are enjoying greater successes in their careers or with their family relationships.
At Granite Recovery Centers, we believe in the power of personal testimonies so much that we’ve included several of the most memorable ones on our website’s pages. Learning about how Kate climbed back from her substance use disorder or how Matt planned and implemented a total life makeover with our help makes it easier to see how visiting our recovery centers can transform your lifestyle.
Get Help Writing Your Personal Recovery Story
Each person’s testimony that we share began with them being in a situation that is similar to where you are now. Asking for professional help with improving your insomnia and other related mental health conditions gives you a renewed chance at finding greater health and happiness in life. While it may take time and hard work, you can look forward to one day enjoying a full night of restful sleep that’s followed by waking up with renewed hope for a successful future.
