Season 6 | Episode 18

DRS. LEISHA CUDDIHY, SARA NOWAKOWSKI, AND MICHAEL GRANDNER, GUESTS

We have long known about the bi-directional relationship between anxiety and insomnia, and traditionally we’ve been taught that treating anxiety will treat insomnia. Since that time, more data have emerged on the importance of treating insomnia in the context of anxiety. Dr. Leisha Cuddihy, Dr. Sara Nowakowski, and Dr. Michael Grandner discuss how they have noticed a pattern of anxiety about insomnia that doesn’t always respond to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and other behavioral interventions.

Leisha Cuddihy, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. She completed her doctoral training at the University of Arizona, including a predoctoral internship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral sleep medicine at the University of Michigan. Dr. Cuddihy is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester and an internationally recognized leader in non-medication treatments for insomnia and other sleep disorders. She serves on the board of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine as a director at large. She is passionate about using innovative strategies to increase access to insomnia treatments, such as training and consultation with providers interested in learning CBT-I and using stepped care models in clinical practice.

Sara Nowakowski, PhD, DBSM, is an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, is board certified in behavioral sleep medicine, and treats patients with sleep disorders at Baylor Sleep Medicine Clinic. Dr. Nowakowski’s research expertise focuses on assessment and treatment of sleep disorders and the impact on health outcomes. She is currently conducting a randomized clinical trial examining CBT-I in patients undergoing hip or knee joint arthroplasty on functional outcomes to optimize medical rehabilitation. Dr. Nowakowski is a past president of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Michael Grandner, PhD, MTR, CBSM, FAASM, is a licensed clinical psychologist certified in behavioral sleep medicine, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program, and associate professor of psychiatry, psychology, medicine, nutritional sciences, and clinical translational science at the University of Arizona. His clinical work focuses on non-medication treatments for sleep disorders. His research examines the relationship between sleep and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, daytime functioning, and longevity.

Resources

  1. Chellappa SL, Aeschbach D. Sleep and anxiety: from mechanisms to interventions. Sleep Med Rev. 2022;61:101583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101583
  2. Matthews EE, Arnedt JT, McCarthy MS, Cuddihy LJ, Aloia MS. Adherence to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2013 Dec;17(6):453-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2013.01.001
  3. Manber R, Bernert RA, Suh S, Nowakowski S, Siebern AT, Ong JC. CBT for insomnia in patients with high and low depressive symptom severity: adherence and clinical outcomes. J Clin Sleep Med. 2011;7(6):645-652. https://doi.org/10.5664%2Fjcsm.1472