Dr. Freeman's Blog Posts

Peaceful bedroom with warm morning light and mountain views, representing natural sleep improvement through CBT-I without medication

Can CBT-I Help You Sleep Without Medication?

Can CBT-I Help You Sleep Without Medication? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Yes, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I, can help many people sleep with less reliance on medication. CBT-I teaches the brain and body how to return to natural sleep by changing the thoughts, behaviors, habits, and

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A tired adult sitting calmly in a softly lit bedroom at night, reflecting on chronic insomnia and sleep anxiety

What Causes Chronic Insomnia?

What Causes Chronic Insomnia? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Chronic insomnia is usually caused by more than one issue. Anxiety, trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, depression, grief, stress, medication dependence, alcohol use, medical symptoms, and learned patterns of nighttime alertness can all keep the brain and body awake. In many

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Woman waking up refreshed and energized after improving sleep through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and healthy sleep habits.

How Changing Your Behaviors Changes Your Sleep

How Changing Your Behaviors Changes Your Sleep By Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. You might be wondering, is it true that changing your behavior can affect your sleep?  And the answer is “yes,” this result can be achieved by applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT includes changing thoughts and behaviors around

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Middle-aged woman sleeping peacefully as a result of therapy for sleep without medication

Can Therapy Help You Sleep Without Medication?

Can Therapy Help You Sleep Without Medication? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Yes, therapy can help many people sleep without relying solely on medication, especially when insomnia is being driven by anxiety, trauma, stress, pain, rumination, sleep fear, or learned patterns of nighttime alertness. Medication may provide short-term relief,

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Side effects of sleeping pills shown with common prescription sleep medications

What Are the Side Effects of Sleeping Pills?

A decade ago, in 2010, the Drug Enforcement Agency spearheaded a nationwide initiative to take back unused prescription medications. This move aimed to heighten public awareness about the potentially lethal implications of prescription drug misuse. Despite these efforts, the prevalence of misuse and its consequences remain concerning.

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Effects of sleep deprivation on physical health, mental health, and daily functioning

Effects of Sleep Deprivation: How Sleep Disorders Affect Health

Effects of Sleep Deprivation: How Sleep Disorders Affect Health By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. In my last post, I talked about the four main categories of sleep disorders. Let’s talk about the effects of sleep deprivation on your life. Sleep disorders can affect nearly every aspect of physical and

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Patient and therapist discussing treatments for sleep disorders

Four Common Treatments for Sleep Disorders

Four Common Treatments for Sleep Disorders By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. There are four treatments for sleep disorder that can help people improve sleep quality, daytime functioning, and overall health. These common treatments include sleep hygiene, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), medication, and holistic approaches. Many individuals benefit from using

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Common Treatments for Sleep Disorders

Common Treatments for Sleep Disorders Sleep disorder treatments fall into a variety of categories, including sleep hygiene, psychotherapy, medications ranging from mild over-the-counter sleep aids to powerful sleep sedatives and hypnotics, and holistic approaches. It is not uncommon for two or more treatment approaches to be used concurrently. Sleep Hygiene

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How to help insomnia through practical questions and solutions written on a napkin beside a coffee mug

How to Help Insomnia: Focus on Solutions, Not Causes

How to Help Insomnia: Focus on Solutions, Not Causes By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. How to help insomnia is one of the most common questions I hear from patients. Many people spend years searching for reasons they cannot sleep, hoping that understanding the cause will solve the problem. While

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Dr. Freeman's Articles on Sleep, Trauma, and Behavioral Medicine