Indore, MP
Chronic sleep problems affect every aspect of your life, mood, concentration, health, and relationships. Effective treatment exists and does not always require long-term medication.
Recognising the Signs
If you experience any of the following, talk to a professional.
Immediate support
Most people who struggle with sleep eventually turn to sleeping pills. While they can help short-term, they do not address the patterns that keep insomnia going. When the pills are stopped, the insomnia returns, often worse than before. CBT-I is more effective than medication for long-term outcomes and gives you skills that last a lifetime.
About this Condition
Sleep problems are one of the most common reasons people visit a psychiatrist, and one of the most commonly self-managed. Most people who struggle with sleep try home remedies, over-the-counter supplements, or sleeping pills from a pharmacy before ever considering professional help. Many have been dealing with poor sleep for years, believing it is just how they are. It does not have to be.
Insomnia involves difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early despite having the opportunity to sleep. When persistent (occurring at least three nights per week for three months or more), it is classified as chronic insomnia disorder. In India, studies suggest that 15-30% of adults experience significant sleep difficulties, though the actual prevalence is likely higher because sleep problems are often dismissed or normalised.
Poor sleep is not just about feeling tired. Chronic insomnia increases the risk of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, impaired immune function, and accidents. It affects concentration, memory, emotional regulation, and decision-making. For people with existing mental health conditions, poor sleep makes everything worse, it can trigger bipolar episodes, worsen OCD symptoms, and reduce the effectiveness of psychiatric medications.
Many people assume the cause is obvious, stress, a noisy environment, or too much screen time. While these factors can contribute, chronic insomnia often involves a more complex picture. The sleep system itself can become dysregulated. People with insomnia develop patterns, spending excessive time in bed, watching the clock, napping during the day, or associating the bed with frustration and wakefulness, that perpetuate the problem even after the original trigger has passed.
This is why sleeping pills alone rarely solve the problem. They mask symptoms without addressing the underlying cycle. When the medication is stopped, the insomnia returns because the perpetuating patterns are still there.
I evaluates the root cause of your sleep difficulties, which may involve anxiety, depression, poor sleep habits, circadian rhythm issues, or other medical conditions, and provides targeted, evidence-based treatment.
Understanding the roots
The brain's arousal system becomes overactive, making it difficult to 'switch off'. This is why you can feel exhausted but wide awake when your head hits the pillow. It is a physiological state, not a choice.
When you spend long periods in bed awake, worrying, watching the clock, scrolling your phone, your brain starts associating the bed with wakefulness instead of sleep. This powerful association perpetuates insomnia even after the original cause is resolved.
Irregular sleep schedules, daytime napping, excessive caffeine, screen use before bed, and spending extended time in bed all work against healthy sleep. These are often adopted as coping strategies but make the problem worse.
Anxiety, depression, [PTSD](/psychiatry/ptsd), chronic pain, and other medical conditions commonly cause or worsen insomnia. Treating the underlying condition is often part of sleep treatment.
Clinical Profile
These are the most commonly reported signs.
By the numbers
Affected in India
15-30%
of adults experience significant sleep difficulties
Source: Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2020
CBT-I Success Rate
70-80%
of patients show significant improvement with CBT-I
Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Sleeping Pill Limitation
Short-term only
medications do not address underlying insomnia patterns
Source: European Sleep Research Society
Outcomes
Before Your Visit
Knowing what to expect can ease the anxiety of your first appointment.
The Process
A clear path from your first visit to feeling better.
A thorough 45-60 minute assessment of your sleep patterns, habits, and any co-occurring conditions. I may ask you to keep a sleep diary for 1-2 weeks to understand your specific patterns.
A structured 4-6 session programme tailored to your specific insomnia patterns. Includes sleep restriction, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, and sleep hygiene, with homework between sessions.
If you are currently taking sleep medication, I develops a plan to reduce or taper it safely while CBT-I skills take effect. Medication adjustments are made based on your progress.
Once sleep has improved, the focus shifts to maintaining gains and building a long-term plan. You leave with a toolkit of strategies you can apply independently if sleep difficulties return.
Our Method
The first appointment is a thorough 45-60 minute evaluation. I explore your specific sleep patterns, when you go to bed, how long it takes to fall asleep, how often you wake, when you wake up, and what you do during the night. He also screens for co-occurring conditions like [anxiety](/psychiatry/anxiety), [depression](/psychiatry/depression), and medical conditions that may be contributing.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment, recommended by major medical organisations worldwide as more effective than sleeping pills for long-term outcomes. CBT-I is a structured programme that addresses the thoughts and behaviours that perpetuate sleep problems.
Key components include sleep restriction (temporarily limiting time in bed to build stronger sleep drive), stimulus control (re-associating the bed with sleep), cognitive restructuring (challenging unhelpful beliefs about sleep), and sleep hygiene education. The programme is typically delivered over 4-6 sessions with homework between sessions.
Medication may be used short-term for severe cases while CBT-I skills are being developed. When medication is appropriate, I selects options carefully, favouring non-addictive medications and planning a clear tapering strategy from the start. The goal is always to move towards sustainable sleep without long-term reliance on medication.
For sleep difficulties driven primarily by anxiety, [depression](/psychiatry/depression), or other psychiatric conditions, treating the underlying condition often resolves the sleep problem as well.
Questions
Your Doctor
I treats insomnia as both a standalone condition and as a component of other psychiatric disorders. He uses CBT-I as the primary approach, combined with careful medication management when needed. My clinic is based in Indore and sees patients from across Madhya Pradesh, both in person and online.
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