CBT-i consists of five major components: stimulus control, sleep restriction (also known as sleep consolidation or bed restriction), relaxation techniques, cognitive therapy and sleep hygiene education . Typically, CBT-i is delivered in four to 10 sessions, either individually or in a group setting, ideally involving four to eight participants.
Stimulus control is a reconditioning treatment forcing discrimination between daytime and sleeping environments.20 For the poor sleeper, the bedroom triggers associations with being awake and aroused. Treatment involves removing all stimuli that are potentially sleep-incompatible (reading, watching television and use of computers) and excluding sleep from living areas. The individual is instructed to get up if he or she is not asleep within 15–20 minutes, or when wakeful during the night or experiencing increasing distress, and not return to bed until feeling sleepy.