Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Integrating ACT into Sleep Treatment

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based approach that has been shown to be effective for treating anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. More recently, emerging research suggests that ACT can also be helpful for individuals experiencing insomnia.

While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) remains the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, integrating principles from ACT can be especially helpful for patients who experience anxiety about sleep.

ACT focuses on helping individuals:

• Develop greater psychological flexibility

• Accept the presence of difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations without struggling against them

• Clarify and commit to values-driven actions, even in the presence of discomfort

For individuals struggling with insomnia, ACT techniques can be particularly useful in managing nighttime anxiety, letting go of the fight to force sleep, and building a gentler, more compassionate relationship with the sleep process.

By combining the strengths of CBT-I with the acceptance and mindfulness-based tools of ACT, we can create a flexible, personalized approach to improving your sleep and helping you live a more connected, fulfilling life during the day.