Public Event "HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP WITHOUT SLEEPING PILLS" (Halifax / Nov 13, 2025)

In this public educational event, 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 to reduce sleeping pill use and improve sleep. Dr. Sam Hickcox (Family Physician, NSH Mental Health and Addictions) shared his perspective as a family doctor on the challenges and opportunities in supporting patients’ sleep health. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Andrea Murphy (Professor, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University). With attendees both in-person and online, the event was recorded live on November 13, 2025, at the Canada Games Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Learn more about Sleepwell and its resources at https://mysleepwell.ca/ 00:00 – Introduction 00:06 – What is insomnia? Definition & diagnostic criteria 01:25 – The vicious cycle of insomnia: why it persists 03:07 – Sleep biology: napping, early bedtimes & sleep pressure 05:00 – Treatments for insomnia & other common sleep disorders 05:54 – How common is insomnia in Canada? 07:19 – Chronic insomnia and overall health impact 07:55 – Expert recommendations for managing chronic insomnia 08:24 – Two main approaches to treating insomnia 09:05 – CBT-I: first-line treatment for insomnia 09:57 – Sleeping pill use increases with age 10:26 – Chronic sleeping pill use in Canada 10:53 – Limitations of sleeping pills for insomnia 11:20 – Risks & harms of sleep medications 13:20 – What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)? 14:28 – CBT-I technique example: Stimulus Control 15:44 – Free online resources at mysleepwell.ca 16:06 – Evidence supporting CBT-I for different populations 18:18 – Stepped care model for insomnia management 18:52 – Sleepwell: mission & objectives 19:09 – Navigating the Sleepwell website (https://mysleepwell.ca/) 19:37 – Tools for facilitating clinician-patient conversations 20:28 – Recommended CBT-I programs 21:03 – Sleepwell’s new Sleep Therapy Program overview 21:38 – Safely stopping sleep medications & transitioning to CBT-I 22:23 – YAWNS NB clinical trial: better sleep with less medication 25:35 – Recap: key points from Part 1 26:19 – The Icelandic experience: Sofðuvel 27:05 – Next steps: improving insomnia care to align with guidelines 27:24 – Dr. Sam Hickcox: clinical practice & insights 29:31 – Insomnia in primary care: how often it comes up 30:53 – Patient self-management strategies 32:47 – Challenges in insomnia treatment 42:10 – Opportunities to improve insomnia care 44:50 – Q&A: sleep medications, melatonin, cannabis, CBT-I for older adults, napping, and sleep hygiene vs CBT-I