Insomnia Clinical Support Tools
Sleep and Academic Success (from Nebraska Medicine University Health Center)
Sleep affects your ability to think, know, remember, judge, and problem-solve. If you don't sleep well, it can negatively impact your ability to learn and retain new information. Check out these resources below to learn more about sleep and academic performance.
Lifestyle and Behavioral Habits Affect Sleep
There are times in life when schedules and responsibilities can become overwhelming. It can be easy to sacrifice sleep time to accomplish all of your goals, but this will actually impede your success. Below are some resources discussing how your lifestyle and habits affect your sleep including those that improve sleep and those that disrupt sleep.
Relaxation Exercises A number of exercises, including deep breathing and muscle relaxation techniques, can improve your ability to get to sleep and experience better sleep quality. The resources below describe how you can use these techniques.
Mobile Sleep Apps
Mobile applications can be helpful in monitoring and improving your sleep habits. Check out some of these apps below.
Sleep Logs
Using a sleep log (also called a sleep journal or sleep diary) can help you see patterns in your sleep-wake routine that may be helping or hurting your quality of sleep. Below are a few different formats for sleep logs. Choose a format that makes sense to you and print a copy to complete daily for 14 days to better assess your sleep. This would be a helpful tool to bring with you to your medical, mental health medication management or counseling appointments if you are talking with your provider about sleep and energy.
- Insomnia Medications: Facts for Patients and Families (2020)Factsheet for patients and families with information about medications for chronic insomnia disorder including medication-related precautions, questions to ask your doctor, and what to know about herbal supplements.
- Pharmacotherapy, Complementary and Integrative Health Treatments for Chronic Insomnia Disorder: Recommendations for Providers (2020)Brochure for providers with information about short-term pharmacotherapy and complementary and integrative health treatments for chronic insomnia disorder and tips for patient-centered care.
- VA/DoD Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Clinical Practice Guideline Patient Summary (2020)Brochure for patients which summarizes information in the clinical practice guideline relating to diagnosis and treatment of chronic insomnia disorder and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Treating Insomnia with Behavior Change: A Patient’s Guide (2020)Factsheet for patients with information and resources about behaviorally-based treatments and techniques for chronic insomnia disorder.
- Behaviorally-based Treatments for Insomnia: A Provider’s Guide (2020)Factsheet for providers with tips for considering which behaviorally-based treatment for chronic insomnia disorder is right for a patient, what to tell patients about treatment options, and provider resources.
- Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Pocket Card (2019)
Sleep and Academic Success (from Nebraska Medicine University Health Center)
Sleep affects your ability to think, know, remember, judge, and problem-solve. If you don't sleep well, it can negatively impact your ability to learn and retain new information. Check out these resources below to learn more about sleep and academic performance.
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
- MIT News
- Sleep, Learning and Memory (Harvard University)
- Memory, Thinking and Sleep (Healthy Sleep Foundation)
Lifestyle and Behavioral Habits Affect Sleep
There are times in life when schedules and responsibilities can become overwhelming. It can be easy to sacrifice sleep time to accomplish all of your goals, but this will actually impede your success. Below are some resources discussing how your lifestyle and habits affect your sleep including those that improve sleep and those that disrupt sleep.
- Healthy sleep tips (Sleep Foundation)
- Good sleep habits (Healthy Sleep Foundation)
- Habits that are bad for sleep (Sleep Advisor)
- Diet and substances affect sleep:
- Caffeine, food, alcohol, smoking and sleep (Sleep Health Foundation)
- Alcohol and sleep (Sleep Advisor)
- Bedtime Snacks (Sleep Advisor)
Relaxation Exercises A number of exercises, including deep breathing and muscle relaxation techniques, can improve your ability to get to sleep and experience better sleep quality. The resources below describe how you can use these techniques.
- Relaxation exercise (Sleep Foundation)
- Breathing exercise (Heathline)
Mobile Sleep Apps
Mobile applications can be helpful in monitoring and improving your sleep habits. Check out some of these apps below.
- CBT-i Coach: This application was developed by the US Veterans Affairs Department based on evidence related to cognitive behavioral therapy-insomnia (CBT-i) used to help improve sleep habits and overall sleep quality. It is Apple and Android compatible and free to download for access to all features. To learn more, read this summary of the app.
- Sleep Cycle: This application monitors your movements while you sleep to estimate the different phase of your sleep cycle and wake you at the optimal stage in your cycle. This app measures movement through your smart phone without requiring another device. It is compatible with Apple and Android and free to download and use with select features. There is an option to purchase a membership to access all features.
- Pzizz: Based in the science of psychoacoustics and psychotherapeutic techniques proven to improve sleep. This application provides sequences of sound and narration, which train your brain to go to sleep faster and wake feeling more rested. It includes a setting to assist with healthy napping. It is Apple and Android compatible and free to download and use with select features. There is an option to purchase a membership for access to all features.
Sleep Logs
Using a sleep log (also called a sleep journal or sleep diary) can help you see patterns in your sleep-wake routine that may be helping or hurting your quality of sleep. Below are a few different formats for sleep logs. Choose a format that makes sense to you and print a copy to complete daily for 14 days to better assess your sleep. This would be a helpful tool to bring with you to your medical, mental health medication management or counseling appointments if you are talking with your provider about sleep and energy.