Public Event "HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP WITHOUT SLEEPING PILLS" (Fredericton / Nov 20, 2025)

At this public educational event, Dr. Chris Folkins (Senior Research Scientist, DataNB, University of New Brunswick) provided an overview of sleeping pill overuse in New Brunswick compared with the rest of Canada. Dr. David Gardner (Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University) discussed insomnia, sleeping pills, and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), highlighting the latest research from Atlantic Canada on direct-to-patient interventions aimed at reducing sleeping pill use and improving sleep, including findings from the YAWNS NB trial. YAWNS NB participant Georges shared his experience of stopping sleeping pills after 35 years of nightly use. The online discussion was moderated by Dr. Andrea Murphy (Professor, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University). The event, attended in-person and online, was recorded live on November 20, 2025, at the Wu Conference Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Learn more about Sleepwell and its resources at https://mysleepwell.ca/ 00:08 – Meet the presenters 01:24 – Event focus 02:00 – Overuse of sedatives in Canada 03:03 – NB seniors: highest sedative use & no decline 05:10 – Variation in sedative use by sex, age & region in NB 10:26 – Sedatives & risk of falls and fractures  11:39 – Part 1 Recap 12:45 – YAWNS NB study: better sleep with less medication 16:25 – Continued sedative reduction after the study 17:20 – Key takeaways from YAWNS NB 17:41 – Georges: How I quit 35 years of sleeping pills 24:06 – Expanding access to CBT-I via self-help 24:50 – The vicious cycle of insomnia 26:09 – Sleep biology: napping, early bedtimes & sleep pressure 28:20 – How effective are sleeping pills? 28:40 – Sleeping pill risks: falls, cognitive impairment & dependence 29:33 – CBT-I: first-line treatment 29:55 – CBT-I vs. Sleeping Pills (free handout at https://mysleepwell.ca/) 30:05 – CBT-I treatment course: 6-8 weeks 30:21 – Sleep Diary: cornerstone of CBT-I 31:07 – CBT-I technique example: Stimulus Control 32:12 – 10 Tips for Better Sleep (free handout at https://mysleepwell.ca/) 32:44 – Evidence supporting CBT-I for different populations 34:10 – Stepped care model for insomnia 34:46 – Recommended CBT-I programs 35:18 – Accessing Sleepwell: mysleepwell.ca 35:52 – Safely stopping sleep medications & transitioning to CBT-I 36:27 – Getting started with CBT-I 36:40 – Sleepwell’s new Sleep Therapy Program 36:53 – Q&A: gradual dose reduction, menopause, melatonin, CBT-I referrals, amount of sleep, sleep diary vs. smartwatch