CBT-I for Insomnia in Trumbull, CT

Maybe you'd rather not be on a sleep medication. That's a reasonable place to be. And the good news is that one of the most effective treatments for chronic insomnia doesn't involve medication at all. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia — CBT-I — works by directly addressing the thoughts, behaviors, and patterns that keep insomnia locked in place. It's not relaxation exercises. It's a structured approach that changes how your brain and body relate to sleep. Studies consistently show it outperforms sleep medications over the long term — and, unlike medication, the effects tend to last after treatment ends.

What CBT-I Actually Does

Here's what's usually happening with chronic insomnia: you've had bad sleep, so you start adapting. You go to bed earlier to give yourself more time. You lie there trying harder to sleep. You stay in bed when you're awake. You start dreading bedtime. Your bed starts feeling like a place of frustration instead of rest. These adaptations — all completely understandable — actually reinforce the insomnia cycle. CBT-I works by unwinding those patterns. Sleep restriction (counterintuitive but effective), stimulus control, cognitive work on the thoughts that make sleep harder — these are the tools. They're not comfortable at first. But they work.

What a Psychiatric Evaluation Adds

CBT-I is most effective when the right underlying picture is understood first. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other conditions can all drive insomnia — and they respond differently. Sindhia Shyras, APRN does a full psychiatric evaluation before recommending any course of treatment. That means she's not just handing you a sleep diary and a sleep restriction schedule. She's understanding what's actually driving the insomnia for you specifically — and then building the approach around that. Sometimes CBT-I alone is the answer. Sometimes it's combined with medication management. Either way, the plan fits you.

Why Trumbull Residents Choose Elite Health

Sindhia has nine-plus years of psychiatric experience and a genuine interest in getting things right — not just manageable, but actually better. She sees patients in Trumbull and across Fairfield County via telehealth, with in-person visits available at 1 Liberty Sq, Suite 301 in New Britain. She accepts Aetna, Cigna, Husky Health, Medicaid, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare, and self-pay. She also speaks English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu, which matters to a number of families in southwestern Connecticut who haven't been able to find a provider they could really talk to.

Frequently Asked Questions