Life Kit Stressed about sleep? Don't make these mistakes
149 snips
Jan 8, 2026 
Andy Tegel, a Life Kit reporter, joins clinical psychologist Steve Orma and sleep scientist Eric Prather to tackle the complexities of insomnia. They discuss how anxiety can spiral into chronic sleeplessness and introduce cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as a crucial tool. Eric explains the importance of consistent wake times to support your circadian rhythm. The trio also shares smart strategies like 'worry scheduling' to keep bedtime worries at bay and warns against the potential pitfalls of sleep trackers.
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Sleep Happens, Don't Force It
- Sleep is something that happens to you, not something you can force.
- Doing less direct effort to 'make' sleep often improves rest more than intense self-optimization.
Try CBT-I First
- Try CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) as the gold-standard non-drug treatment.
- Commit to a six- to eight-week program because it retrains sleep behaviors and thought patterns.
Keep One Wake-Up Time
- Set the same wake-up time every day, including weekends.
- Use a consistent morning alarm to align circadian rhythm and rebuild your sleep drive.
