Insomnia Treatment Online in Alberta

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable to get back to sleep. It affects approximately 30% of adults at some point and can significantly impact your daily functioning, mood, and overall health. There are two main types of insomnia: Acute insomnia: Short-term insomnia lasting a few days to a few weeks, often triggered by stress, travel, illness, or life changes. It usually resolves on its own or with brief intervention. Chronic insomnia: Sleep difficulties occurring at least 3 nights per week for 3 months or longer. Chronic insomnia often requires a comprehensive treatment approach combining behavioural strategies and, in some cases, medication.

What Causes Insomnia?

Insomnia can be caused by a wide range of physical, psychological, and lifestyle factors. Understanding the root cause is essential for effective treatment:

• Stress and anxiety from work, relationships, finances, or health concerns
• Depression and other mental health conditions
• Poor sleep habits such as irregular sleep schedules, screen time before bed, or napping late in the day
• Medical conditions including chronic pain, asthma, GERD, restless legs syndrome, or sleep apnea
• Medications that interfere with sleep (stimulants, certain antidepressants, corticosteroids, blood pressure medications)
• Caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol consumption, especially in the evening
• Shift work or jet lag disrupting the circadian rhythm
• Hormonal changes during menopause, pregnancy, or menstruation

Treatment Options for Insomnia

Effective insomnia treatment typically starts with non-medication approaches, with medication reserved for cases where behavioural strategies alone are insufficient:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): The gold-standard first-line treatment that addresses thoughts and behaviours contributing to insomnia, including stimulus control, sleep restriction, and relaxation techniques
• Sleep hygiene improvements: Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a cool and dark sleeping environment, limiting screen time before bed, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening
• Melatonin supplements: A natural sleep aid that can help regulate the circadian rhythm, particularly useful for jet lag and shift work
• Prescription sleep medications: Short-term use of medications such as zopiclone, trazodone, or other sleep aids when non-medication approaches are insufficient
• Treatment of underlying conditions: Addressing anxiety, depression, chronic pain, or other medical conditions that contribute to insomnia
• Relaxation techniques: Progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, meditation, and mindfulness practices

Why Choose TelePlus Care for Insomnia Treatment

Our virtual clinic provides compassionate, evidence-based insomnia care for patients across Alberta:

• Same-day virtual appointments available 7 days a week
• Licensed doctors experienced in sleep medicine
• Comprehensive assessment of sleep patterns and contributing factors
• CBT-I strategies and sleep hygiene coaching
• Prescriptions for sleep medications you can fill at any Alberta pharmacy when appropriate
• Follow-up appointments to monitor progress and adjust treatment
• Private, secure, PIPEDA-compliant telehealth platform
• Licensed virtual care for eligible concerns