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