Insomnie: cognitieve gedragstherapie beter dan pillen

Chronic insomnia is a common condition that significantly burdens patients and increases the risk of various comorbidities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment and has shown strong, long-lasting effects with fewer side effects compared to medication. This article presents a representative case study of a woman with long-term insomnia, illustrating the core components and practical implementation of CBT-I, including the combination with medication tapering. CBT-I targets the maintaining factors of insomnia through behavioral techniques (e.g. sleep restriction) and cognitive interventions, and restoring daytime balance. Up to 80% of patients experience clinically relevant improvements, even with comorbid conditions. In contrast, sleep medications like temazepam or zolpidem should be used cautiously, for no longer than 2–4 weeks. CBT-I leads to more sustainable outcomes and supports patient autonomy. Wider implementation in clinical practice is hindered by limited awareness, access, and reimbursement, despite strong evidence for its effectiveness.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.