Ashley Mason

So if you are higher on the general psychological reactivity, you're going to probably get pushed over the threshold more easily than someone else. Some people might get in a car accident, a fender bender, and they're over it by the next day. The car's in the shop, whatever. Other people might feel antsy about driving for a while after that. They might feel more anxious as a result of that event.

So if you are higher on the general psychological reactivity, you're going to probably get pushed over the threshold more easily than someone else. Some people might get in a car accident, a fender bender, and they're over it by the next day. The car's in the shop, whatever. Other people might feel antsy about driving for a while after that. They might feel more anxious as a result of that event.

And that's going to differ from person to person. You can argue that that's genetic. You can argue that that's based on early childhood or other experiences. But nature and nurture probably both contribute to that predisposition. And there's not a whole lot that we can do about that. But this is the beauty of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

And that's going to differ from person to person. You can argue that that's genetic. You can argue that that's based on early childhood or other experiences. But nature and nurture probably both contribute to that predisposition. And there's not a whole lot that we can do about that. But this is the beauty of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

When people come in for treatment, they're often pretty focused on what caused their insomnia. And I actually don't ask people what caused their insomnia until the end of my first session with them. I'm asking them all these other kinds of questions about their behaviors now. And at the end, I ask, okay, so when did this start? What do you think might have caused this?

When people come in for treatment, they're often pretty focused on what caused their insomnia. And I actually don't ask people what caused their insomnia until the end of my first session with them. I'm asking them all these other kinds of questions about their behaviors now. And at the end, I ask, okay, so when did this start? What do you think might have caused this?

And get their attribution for what's going on. Because at the end of the day, the intervention is the same. And that's what's beautiful about this and might differ a lot from the practice of medicine. I'm not an MD, I'm a PhD. I think in a lot of disease states, we often look at what caused what's going on. I'm not really concerned.

And get their attribution for what's going on. Because at the end of the day, the intervention is the same. And that's what's beautiful about this and might differ a lot from the practice of medicine. I'm not an MD, I'm a PhD. I think in a lot of disease states, we often look at what caused what's going on. I'm not really concerned.

I'm more concerned about what you're doing now that's perpetuating the problem. And that's where I intervene. And that's why this particular treatment is so effective for so many different presentations of insomnia and causes of insomnia. Whether people have difficulty falling asleep in the beginning of the night, waking up in the middle of the night, waking up too early in the morning.

I'm more concerned about what you're doing now that's perpetuating the problem. And that's where I intervene. And that's why this particular treatment is so effective for so many different presentations of insomnia and causes of insomnia. Whether people have difficulty falling asleep in the beginning of the night, waking up in the middle of the night, waking up too early in the morning.

You might think on their face, these people all need wildly different treatment, but that's not actually the case.

You might think on their face, these people all need wildly different treatment, but that's not actually the case.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Those people need the same stuff. And the people who can't fall asleep at the beginning of the night, their mind's just racing earlier than yours. Yours is just waking you up. And there's a whole suite of interventions that are part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. There are a lot of ways that I could approach an answer to this question.

Those people need the same stuff. And the people who can't fall asleep at the beginning of the night, their mind's just racing earlier than yours. Yours is just waking you up. And there's a whole suite of interventions that are part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. There are a lot of ways that I could approach an answer to this question.

So I think starting by addressing the racing mind issue. I always tell patients, if you don't deal with what's causing you stress or anxiety during the day, it's going to demand to be dealt with in the middle of the night. It's going to say, oh, Peter. I notice you're laying there peacefully, not doing any work or tasks, and you don't have anything you need to do right now.

So I think starting by addressing the racing mind issue. I always tell patients, if you don't deal with what's causing you stress or anxiety during the day, it's going to demand to be dealt with in the middle of the night. It's going to say, oh, Peter. I notice you're laying there peacefully, not doing any work or tasks, and you don't have anything you need to do right now.

So you're going to pay attention to me. And it's going to demand your attention at that time. Other people, that happens right when their head hits the pillow at the beginning of the night. Oh, you're relaxing now. Okay, here's your 10 things to worry about. So one of my favorite interventions that's actually born of anxiety treatment

So you're going to pay attention to me. And it's going to demand your attention at that time. Other people, that happens right when their head hits the pillow at the beginning of the night. Oh, you're relaxing now. Okay, here's your 10 things to worry about. So one of my favorite interventions that's actually born of anxiety treatment