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Why Sleep Works CBT-I Is Different: A Personalized Approach to Treating Insomnia
- Leah Corkum
- Mar 17
- 6 min read
When people first hear about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), they often have one of two reactions.
Some think:
“That sounds like exactly what I need.”
Others immediately think:
“That probably won’t work for me because…”
Because of menopause.
Because of chronic pain.
Because of ADHD.
Because of shift work.
Because life is stressful right now.
At Sleep Works we hear these concerns all the time; and they make complete sense. Sleep is deeply connected to your health, your schedule, and your nervous system.
But here’s something many people don’t realize:
CBT-I doesn’t have to be a rigid, one-size-fits-all insomnia treatment.
When it’s delivered by experienced sleep specialists, it can be adapted to work with your real life.
And that’s exactly where the Sleep Works approach to CBT-I is different.
CBT-I: The Gold-Standard Treatment for Chronic Insomnia
If you’ve been searching for answers to questions like:
Why can’t I sleep?
How do I fall asleep faster?
Why do I wake up at 3 a.m.?
How do I fix chronic insomnia without sleeping pills?
You may have already come across CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia).
CBT-I is widely considered the gold-standard insomnia treatment recommended by sleep physicians and sleep researchers around the world.
It helps people:
Fall asleep faster
Stay asleep longer
Reduce anxiety about sleep
Restore healthy sleep cycles and circadian rhythms
Improve sleep quality without medication
But here’s something important:
Sleep doesn’t exist in isolation.
Your sleep is influenced by:
Hormones
Circadian rhythms
Stress and anxiety
Chronic pain or illness
Breathing during sleep
Neurological differences like ADHD
Shift work schedules
Lifestyle habits and sleep environment
If an insomnia program focuses on only one piece of the puzzle, it may miss what’s actually keeping you awake.
At Sleep Works, our philosophy is simple:
The best insomnia treatment looks at the whole sleep system, not just one symptom.
The Sleep Works Approach to Insomnia Treatment
One of the biggest differences in the Sleep Works CBT-I program is that it is delivered by sleep specialists with clinical sleep training, not just therapists trained in general psychotherapy.
That means when someone joins a program, the team looks beyond insomnia symptoms alone. Instead of only asking “How long does it take you to fall asleep?”, they look at the full picture of sleep health.
They ask questions like:
Are you breathing well during sleep?
Do you snore or wake up with a dry mouth?
Do you feel unrefreshed even after a full night of sleep?
Do you wake frequently to use the bathroom?
Are there signs of restless legs syndrome?
Could your circadian rhythm be misaligned?
Are hormonal changes affecting your sleep cycle?
Are pain or mobility issues interfering with sleep behaviours?
These questions aren’t random, they’re based on clinical screening tools used in sleep medicine.
For example, Sleep Works uses the principles of the STOP-BANG sleep apnea screening framework, which is a widely used clinical tool that looks at risk factors like snoring, tiredness, and breathing patterns during sleep.
Rather than simply running through a checklist, Leah Corkum and Marlee Boyle (Sleep Works co-founders and qualified sleep therapists) use these principles to guide a deeper conversation about symptoms.
If someone shows two or more indicators of possible sleep apnea, they’re often encouraged to speak with their doctor about getting a sleep study.
This approach is particularly important because traditional screening tools were originally designed around male sleep apnea symptoms, which often look different from how sleep apnea appears in women.
Women are less likely to report classic symptoms like daytime sleepiness. Instead, sleep apnea in women often shows up as:
insomnia
anxiety or depression
waking unrefreshed
frequent nighttime awakenings
Because Sleep Works works with many women, particularly those in perimenopause, these conversations help identify sleep issues that might otherwise be missed.
As Leah explains:
“If you’re trying to treat insomnia but you’re ignoring other parts of your sleep health, you’re not going to get the same level of results. It’s the same idea as following an intense workout program, but only eating cake.”
In other words, if someone has untreated sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or another sleep disorder, treating insomnia alone may only solve part of the problem.
That’s why the Sleep Works philosophy is to look at the entire sleep system, not just the insomnia symptoms.
Because when all the pieces of sleep health are addressed together, the results are often far more powerful and long-lasting.
Customized CBT-I for Real Life Sleep Challenges
Many people assume CBT-I won’t work for them because of their specific life circumstances.
But in reality, these are often exactly the situations where the right modifications make CBT-I most effective.
Sleep Works adapts CBT-I to address common sleep challenges like:
ADHD insomnia
menopause and perimenopause sleep problems
chronic pain and illness
shift work sleep disorder
circadian rhythm disruptions
ADHD and Delayed Sleep Rhythms
Many people with ADHD experience delayed sleep phase syndrome, meaning their internal clock naturally runs later.
This often leads to:
Difficulty falling asleep at night
Feeling most alert late in the evening
Trouble waking in the morning
Chronic sleep deprivation
Sleep Works incorporates circadian rhythm entrainment strategies, including:
Morning bright-light exposure
Consistent sleep-wake scheduling
Lifestyle habits that reinforce circadian rhythm stability
Dark therapy in the evening
Amber-lens glasses to reduce bright evening light exposure
For many people with ADHD, simply building predictable sleep habits and circadian cues can dramatically improve sleep quality.
Menopause and Hormonal Sleep Changes
Many women assume perimenopause insomnia is permanent.
But research shows that CBT-I is one of the most effective treatments for menopause-related insomnia.
Sleep Works programs include menopause-specific education and strategies, such as:
Understanding how hot flashes and night sweats affect sleep
Optimizing bedroom temperature
Circadian rhythm support
Screening for sleep apnea, which becomes more common through perimenopause
Importantly, cognitive restructuring helps shift beliefs like:
“No one sleeps during perimenopause, I have to accept that I don't sleep anymore.”
Instead, people learn how to work with their physiology rather than against it.
Chronic Pain and Insomnia
Many people living with chronic pain assume their pain makes good sleep impossible.
While pain can disrupt sleep, research shows that sleep deprivation often intensifies pain even more.
Sleep Works adapts CBT-I techniques for people with pain or mobility challenges.
For example, traditional stimulus control suggests leaving the bed if you can’t sleep. This technique helps retrain the brain to associate the bed with sleep instead of frustration, tossing and turning, or worrying about sleep.
But for people living with chronic pain, arthritis, or mobility challenges, repeatedly getting out of bed may not be realistic. In those cases, Sleep Works modifies stimulus control so the goal stays the same; strengthening the connection between bed and sleep, while adapting the strategy to work comfortably within someone’s physical limitations
Instead, Sleep Works may modify this strategy by suggesting:
A comfortable resting spot within the bedroom
Gentle position changes instead of leaving the room
Relaxing on the bed as opposed to in the bed
Improving sleep quality often helps people better tolerate and manage chronic pain.
Shift Work and Circadian Rhythm Challenges
Shift work is one of the most complex causes of insomnia.
Rotating schedules make it impossible to maintain a consistent bedtime and wake time.
Sleep Works adapts CBT-I strategies to include:
Circadian rhythm education
Strategic light exposure
Anchor consistent sleep windows
Separate sleep schedules for work days and off days
Optimizing bedrooms for daytime sleep
The goal isn’t perfect sleep: it’s the best possible sleep within a challenging schedule.
Why the Group CBT-I Experience Can Be So Powerful
Some people hesitate when they hear that CBT-I is delivered in a virtual group format at Sleep Works.
But our groups are structured differently from traditional therapy groups.
Participants are never required to share deeply personal experiences unless they want to.
Instead, the group environment often provides something surprisingly powerful:
The realization that you’re not the only one struggling with insomnia.
Many participants describe this moment as incredibly relieving.
After months or years of hearing:
“Just relax.”
“Try melatonin.”
“Have you tried cutting back on caffeine?"
…it can feel validating to hear others say:
“Yes, me too.”
Personalized Support Within the Group Program
Even though the program is delivered in a group setting, Sleep Works provides opportunities for individual support.
Participants can:
Ask personalized questions
Schedule additional one-on-one support if needed
Adjust their sleep plan based on their circumstances
This hybrid structure allows participants to benefit from expert guidance, personalized support, and community connection.
Why Some People Choose Sleep Works After Trying CBT-I Elsewhere
Occasionally, people join Sleep Works after already attempting CBT-I through an app or another program.
Often they say the same thing:
“This experience feels completely different.”
The difference usually comes down to one thing:
A truly holistic approach to insomnia treatment.
When insomnia is treated alongside circadian rhythms, breathing, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle factors, the results are often much more sustainable.
Not Sure What’s Causing Your Insomnia?
If you’re struggling with:
trouble falling asleep
waking during the night
waking too early
chronic insomnia
ongoing sleep deprivation
…it may be time to explore a more comprehensive approach to sleep.
Sleep Works offers a complimentary 15-minute sleep consultation to help you understand what might be affecting your sleep.
During this conversation, you can:
Ask Marlee or Leah questions about insomnia and CBT-I
Talk through your sleep challenges
Learn what type of support might work best for you
Because when you understand your sleep better, improving it becomes much more possible.
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