Which nonpharmacologic therapy is specifically used to treat insomnia related to circadian rhythm disturbances?

Which nonpharmacologic therapy is specifically used to treat insomnia related to circadian rhythm disturbances?

• A. CBT for insomnia focusing on sleep hygiene and stimulus control.
• B. Napping during the day to overcome sleep debt.
• C. Phototherapy.
• D. Intense evening exercise.

Answer: (C)

Light exposure is the strongest cue that sets our internal clock. When insomnia is driven by circadian rhythm disturbances, timed phototherapy uses bright light to shift the circadian phase and realign the sleep–wake schedule. For someone who has trouble sleeping at night because their clock is delayed, exposure to bright light in the morning can advance the clock so they start feeling sleepy earlier and wake earlier, reducing nighttime wakefulness. This direct adjustment of the biological timing system is why phototherapy is the best nonpharmacologic option for circadian-related insomnia. Other approaches like general CBT for insomnia target behaviors and thoughts about sleep but don’t specifically fix the timing of the internal clock, daytime napping can worsen misalignment, and intense evening exercise isn’t as reliable for correcting the circadian phase.

Light exposure is the strongest cue that sets our internal clock. When insomnia is driven by circadian rhythm disturbances, timed phototherapy uses bright light to shift the circadian phase and realign the sleep–wake schedule. For someone who has trouble sleeping at night because their clock is delayed, exposure to bright light in the morning can advance the clock so they start feeling sleepy earlier and wake earlier, reducing nighttime wakefulness. This direct adjustment of the biological timing system is why phototherapy is the best nonpharmacologic option for circadian-related insomnia. Other approaches like general CBT for insomnia target behaviors and thoughts about sleep but don’t specifically fix the timing of the internal clock, daytime napping can worsen misalignment, and intense evening exercise isn’t as reliable for correcting the circadian phase.