Insomnia: The Hidden Cost of a Bad Night

One in three adults in India reports difficulty falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week. Chronic insomnia — symptoms lasting more than three months — is associated with depression, anxiety disorders, hypertension, diabetes and impaired immune function. The gold standard treatment is not a sleeping pill. It is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) — a structured, time-limited programme that retrains the relationship between bed, body and brain. At Manas, CBT-I is delivered alongside a medical evaluation to rule out sleep apnoea, restless legs, thyroid problems and medication side-effects. Medication has a place, especially in the short term, but used carelessly it can deepen the very problem it tries to solve. Done correctly, treating insomnia transforms not only nights but every waking hour that follows.