# When poor sleep sticks around: CBT-I > The first-choice treatment for long-term insomnia, and how to get it Category: Movement & sleep · 4 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026 URL: https://splash.care/learn/movement-sleep/cbt-i-sleep-help ## Quick answer - Insomnia that lasts 3 months or more is long-term and treatable. - CBT-I is the first-line treatment, ahead of sleeping tablets. - Ask your GP about face-to-face or online CBT-I. - A sleep and cycle diary helps your appointment. A few bad nights before your period is common. But if you have struggled to fall asleep, stay asleep or wake too early most nights for weeks or months, it may be [Insomnia](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/insomnia). The NHS says insomnia that lasts less than 3 months is short-term and 3 months or longer is long-term. The good news is that it is treatable without pills. ## What is CBT-I? [CBT-I](https://splash.care/learn/glossary#cbt-i) is a short course of cognitive behavioural therapy made for [sleep](https://splash.care/learn/movement-sleep/sleep-cycle). It helps you change the habits and thoughts that keep you awake. NICE, the body that advises the NHS, lists [CBT](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/cbt)-I as the first-line treatment for long-term insomnia in adults, so a GP should think of it before sleeping tablets. **26 mins** Less time awake in the night, on average, after CBT-I in a review of 20 trials (1,162 adults). People also fell asleep about 19 minutes faster Trials usually combine several parts: understanding sleep, keeping a sleep diary, a steady wake-up time, going to bed only when sleepy, getting up if you cannot sleep, relaxation, and working on worried thoughts about sleep. No harmful effects were reported in that review. ## How to get it - Ask [your GP](https://splash.care/learn/conditions/talk-to-your-doctor). The NHS says you may be offered CBT face to face, or through an online self-help programme. - In England you can often self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies if poor sleep is tied up with [anxiety](https://splash.care/learn/mind-mood/luteal-anxiety) or [low mood](https://splash.care/learn/mind-mood/why-mood-shifts). - NICE is currently assessing online CBT-I programmes for NHS use (October 2026). Ask your GP what is available in your area. - You may wait a while for face-to-face CBT-I, so the free NHS sleep tips are a good start in the meantime. Most CBT-I trials involved adults whose insomnia had no other main cause. If your sleep is affected by your cycle, pain, [hormones](https://splash.care/learn/cycle-basics/hormones-explained), snoring or a mental health condition, tell your GP, because those may need treating too. ## What about sleeping tablets and pharmacy sleep aids? - The NHS says GPs now rarely prescribe sleeping pills, because they have serious side effects and you can become dependent. They are only given for a few days or weeks. - Pharmacy sleep aids (some with valerian or lavender, others with an antihistamine) may help for 1 to 2 weeks at most. They can make you drowsy, so do not drive. Check with a pharmacist or GP first. > **Splash says:** a sleep diary is the first step in CBT-I, and your cycle log sits right alongside it. Note bedtime, wake time, and cycle day for two weeks, and bring it to your appointment. **Myth:** Insomnia is just something to live with. **Fact:** Long-term insomnia is treatable. CBT-I helps most people, the effects seem to last, and it does not carry the risks of sleeping pills. ### When to see a doctor See a GP if changing your sleeping habits has not helped, you have had trouble sleeping for months, or it affects your daily life. Also ask for help if snoring or pauses in breathing at night, or sudden sleep during the day, are part of the picture. If poor sleep comes with low mood or thoughts of harming yourself, tell someone today. If you ever feel you cannot keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. You can also call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time. ## Sources 1. [NHS: Insomnia](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/) 2. [NICE: Digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (in development)](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-htg10888) 3. [Trauer et al. (2015) Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: systematic review and meta-analysis, Annals of Internal Medicine](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26054060/) 4. [NHS: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/) 5. [NHS: Talking therapies](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies/) 6. [NHS Every Mind Matters: How to fall asleep faster and sleep better](https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-and-sleep-better/) This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).