Sleep problems take many forms: taking a long time to fall asleep, waking repeatedly during the night, waking far too early, or sleep that never feels restful. When this goes on, it affects mood, focus, patience and physical health, and the fear of not sleeping can itself become part of the problem.
Sleep often mirrors the mind. Worry, anxiety, sadness or work pressure can show up at night. For people who have migrated, time differences with family, concern for loved ones back home and the stress of a new life can unsettle sleep. Fortunately, sleep problems often improve with non-medication approaches.
Something else may fit better if…
One of the most common approaches for insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). It addresses the habits and thoughts that keep insomnia going, such as lying awake in bed for long periods or constant worry about sleep.
Your therapist may ask you to keep a sleep diary for a while, build a more regular sleep schedule and practise ways to relax body and mind. The goal is for bed to become linked with rest and sleep again, not with struggle.
If anxiety, sadness or a difficult experience sits behind the sleep problem, therapy works on those roots too. Sometimes calming the mind during the day is the best way to calm the night.
Sessions are online and in Persian, and you can choose times that suit your time zone. At the start, your therapist asks about your sleep pattern, routine and worries, and together you create a simple plan.
Changes in sleep are often gradual, and sleep may feel a little more unsettled in the first weeks while new habits take hold. Many people notice improvement over a few weeks to a few months, though this varies from person to person.
Examples are fictional and illustrative.
Maryam lives in Canada and spent late nights on video calls with her parents in Iran. Worry about them and distressing news had taken her sleep. With her therapist she rearranged the call times and learned to quiet her mind before bed. Her sleep slowly became more regular.
Behrouz woke at three every night and thought about work until dawn. In therapy he learned not to stay in bed and to respond differently to his night-time thoughts. After a few weeks, the waking became less frequent and shorter.
Sara worried so much about not sleeping that she felt anxious from the early evening. Her therapist helped her understand this fear and build a calmer relationship with sleep.
These therapists list this on their profile. All sessions are online and in Persian.
For many people, approaches like CBT-I can improve sleep because they address the habits and thoughts that keep insomnia going. Results differ for everyone.
Any change to medication should be agreed with your own doctor. Therapy can take place alongside medical care.
If you snore heavily, stop breathing in your sleep, feel dangerously sleepy while driving or have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a doctor or emergency services first.
Sessions are online, so you can choose a time that fits your schedule and time zone.
This page is general information and does not replace a professional assessment. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency services. Urgent help
