How to Fix Insomnia: CBT-I with Dr. Ashley Mason

About this episode

Forrest is joined by Dr. Ashley Mason, a clinical psychologist and sleep researcher at UCSF, to discuss Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). They talk about what separates insomnia from a few rough nights, why people with insomnia sleep (on average) only a little less than everyone else but experience the night completely differently, how insomnia develops and what keeps it going, and the five pillars of CBT-I. Dr. Mason walks through what treatment looks like in practice: fixing your wake time, restricting time in bed, working with 2am thoughts, a surprisingly early caffeine cutoff, and why meditation apps in bed are a hard no. About our guest: Dr. Ashley Mason is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at UC San Francisco, where she directs the Sleep, Eating, and Affect Lab and leads the insomnia treatment program at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Key Topics: 00:00: Introduction 03:43: What insomnia is, and why it’s not just about hours of sleep 14:06: How insomnia develops 20:40: Sleep hygiene, the five pillars of CBT-I, and caffeine 27:02: What treatment looks like: wake time and time in bed restriction 35:20: Sl