Most insomnia can be treated through cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle adjustments rather than relying on sleep medication, which is often overprescribed.

“I don't prescribe medication, but if I'm honest with you, most people don't need sleep medication as far as I'm concerned. I can get them to sleep usually without any medication at all.”

Non-drug based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia are effective and represent the gold standard for management.

“the gold standard treatment now for insomnia is a treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia okay so a lot of people have heard of CBT because they will have heard of it in the context of depression and treatment of depression or anxiety now CBT for insomnia is not actually directly ”

Chronic insomnia is driven by a cycle of conditioned arousal where the stress about not sleeping creates the very activation that makes falling asleep difficult.

“Whatever the initial cause of the stress was, it's the stress about not sleeping itself that creates the very activation that makes it harder to fall asleep, which strengthens the connection with stress, which makes it harder to fall asleep, and it becomes a cycle.”

Bob states he was suffering from insomnia while his baby was able to sleep.

“I'm very Insomniac oh will you hush about oh I'm sick oh man no one no one cares that wasn't to do with the Bob didn't sleep well yeah I'm tired”

Insomnia is a diagnosable condition typically characterized by persistent sleep difficulty lasting at least three months that causes distress and interferes with daily life.

“the point that is the most Salient is just that when you have a problem sleeping and when it's been going on for a long time at least like three-ish months and when you really feel it's a problem that's when it's time to get help”