Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah Clinic will offer a drug free insomnia therapy group

Mayo Clinic Health System psychologist Claire Haedike

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.  Insomnia is also linked to a variety of physical and mental health disorders. People who experience an ongoing lack of sleep are at increased risk for health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and chronic pain.

According to Mayo Clinic, sleep medications can be an effective short-term treatment – for example, they can provide immediate relief during a period of high stress or grief. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia may be a better treatment choice to avoid long-term dependence on sleep medications and to actually change the underlying cause of insomnia.

Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah Clinic is offering Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in group sessions.  CBT-I group sessions meet once a week and include strategies to change sleep thoughts and behaviors, lifestyle habits that improve sleep and relaxation techniques. "The goal of the group is to help our patients identify how to develop good habits and avoid behaviors that keep them from sleeping well," says Mayo Clinic Health System psychologist and group facilitator Claire Haedike. "CBT achieves results because it is based on the idea that insomnia can only be treated effectively by addressing the underlying causes – thoughts and behaviors – which are learned and can be unlearned."  

Anyone interested in the new cognitive behavioral therapy group for insomnia should call Decorah Clinic to arrange a consult with Dr. Haedike. The next session will begin on September 17th, from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Most insurance covers behavioral health care such as CBT-I. For more information, contact Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah Clinic at 563-382-2911.