5 Addressing Sleep in Occupational Therapy: Expert Tips from a Sleep Specialist

In this conversation, Dr. Jaclyn Schwartz and sleep expert Louise Berger discuss the critical role of sleep in rehabilitation, particularly for individuals with chronic conditions. They explore various sleep disorders, the importance of identifying sleep issues in clients, and the effective interventions available, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). The discussion emphasizes the need for occupational therapists to expand their practice to include sleep assessments and interventions, overcoming barriers to address sleep health in their clients.

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Takeaways

- Sleep is essential for physical and psychological health.

- Occupational therapists can play a vital role in sleep interventions.

- Insomnia is often misunderstood and requires specific criteria for diagnosis.

- The Three P's model helps understand the development of insomnia.

- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is highly effective for treatment.

- Sleep hygiene is just one aspect of managing sleep disorders.

- Identifying sleep issues starts with simple questions about sleep habits.

- Sleep disorders can have significant societal and economic impacts.

- Taking the fear out of sleep can improve outcomes for clients.

- Starting small with sleep interventions can lead to significant improvements.

 

00:00 - The Importance of Sleep

07:02 - Sleep Terminology

13:31 - The 3 P Model of Insomnia

17:21 - Evaluating for Sleep Disorders

22:57 - Sleepiness vs Tiredness

25:36 - Interventions for Sleep Improvement

27:28 - CBT for Insomnia

29:32 - Sleep Interventions in General Medical Settings

30:26 - Intervention - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

31:10 - Intervention - Removing Fear

33:28 - Intervention - Sleep Diaries

36:42 - Intervention - Don't Chase Sleep

39:54 - Overcoming Barriers to Address Sleep in Clinical Practice

42:13 - Resources for Continuing Education

45:17 - Finding Louise Online

 

Keywords

#sleep, #rehabilitation, #occupational therapy #insomnia, #sleepdisorders #sleepbetter #healthcoaching #chronicdisease