Product Description

Extensive research conducted over 25 years has established Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as the treatment of choice for insomnia. For the first time, proven CBT principles have been brought together by a practising clinician in a comprehensive self-help manual. In a clear step-by-step approach, new patterns of relaxation, sleeping and waking are quickly learnt.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12112 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
"'The advantages of CBT over hypnotics [sedatives] include the following:...CBT treats the causes of insomnia and produces long-term improvements in sleep; CBT has no side effects.' Dr Gregg Jacobs, Sleep Psychologist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center"

About the Author
Professor Colin Espie is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Glasgow. He has been interested in CBT for insomnia for many years and has conducted controlled trials of supervised CBT for insomnia and published a number of academic papers on the subject. He is a member of national and international societies in sleep medicine including the British Sleep Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Customer Reviews

Someone who truly understands Insomnia
I've read every book there is on insomnia, and most are written by authors who have never experienced it and offer lame and obvious 'advice'. This book is the ONLY one I've read that truly understands what it is like to have chronic insomnia (not just a bad couple of nights!). This gives the book immense credibility over any others on the market. I don't know if the author is himself an insomniac or just has an outstanding understanding of what it is like. Doesn't matter - this book is different, and that is what makes it stand out.

The CBT program itself is very easy and very good - sticking to the 6 week timeframe and tasks (i.e not just reading the book cover to cover..!) is crucial. I followed the program religiously, and can report that after 20+ years of insomnia of varying intensity, it was VERY successful. And crucially it still is - 1 year on.

OK, I'm not an expert sleeper, but as the book says, I probably never will be. Some people are good at maths - some are good at sleeping. But gone are the 3am / 5am shockers, and my 'sleep efficiency' (how quickly you nod off) is much much improved.

This is a book for chronic insomniacs. You know who you are! Get it - you won't regret it, and you WILL sleep better. I give it full marks.

An excellent and helpful book by a world expert in the field
This book is an excellent and helpful description of how to use cognitive behavioural therapy to help one's sleep problems. Research demonstrates that this method is the best supported of all approaches to persistent insomnia - whether psychological or pharmacological. I've certainly found CBT very useful over many years of helping people suffering with sleep difficulties. It's worth noting though that Colin Espie has written a training manual. Like a cookery or gardening book, just reading what he has written isn't going to be of much help. The amount of benefit you get is going to be highly dependent on how much work you're prepared to put into following his suggestions on how to change what are probably very well-established poor sleep habits.

A helpful book
As the first book I've read on overcoming imsomnia, I have found it quite helpful. Unlike the revier above, I din't find it boring in the least. Its style of address is very casual, almost as wishing to replicate how the author would speak to you if you were his patient. But behind that casual approach, one can appreciate the expertise and seriousness of the author. That made the book quite informative. Most importantly of all for a book of this nature, following the programme it sets out, has enabled me to sleep better. I have just recommended it to a friend.