NWNT · Updated
Signs to look for
- Taking more than half an hour to fall asleep on most nights
- Waking in the night and lying awake for long stretches
- Waking far too early and being unable to get back to sleep
- Feeling unrefreshed, foggy or irritable during the day
- Dreading bedtime and worrying about whether you will sleep
With NWNT
Who to see first: a psychiatrist or a psychologist; the Stressometer helps decide.
Clinicians: Dr. Sandeep Vohra, Dr. Aditya Vohra
Treatments: AI mental health screening (Stressometer), Online counselling with a psychologist, Online psychiatric consultation, In-person psychiatry and psychology in Delhi
ICD-11: 7A00, 7A01
How does insomnia show up?
It often begins with a stressful patch: a job change, a new baby, an illness, exams. The stress passes but the sleeplessness stays, because the habits formed to cope (lying in bed longer, napping, scrolling, a nightcap) keep it going. Soon the bed itself feels like a place to be awake.
The cost shows in the day: poor concentration, a short temper, headaches, and a growing anxiety about the night ahead.
How does the Stressometer screen for it?
Sleep questions sit within the Stressometer's Clinical Symptoms section, next to mood and anxiety. Its other sections show the life, home and work pressures that may be keeping you awake. That matters, because insomnia driven by worry, by depression or by a shift rota each needs a different plan.
Poor sleep alone, with stress in a manageable range, often points to a psychologist. Insomnia that comes with signs of depression, anxiety or substance use usually points to a psychologist and a psychiatrist together.
What does a psychologist do for insomnia?
Sleep guidelines recommend CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) before any tablet. It uses a sleep diary, a fixed wake-up time, limiting time in bed to time actually asleep, getting up when sleep will not come, and work on the racing thoughts at night. It is structured, runs over a limited number of sessions, and works well by video.
When does a psychiatrist help with sleep?
A psychiatrist looks for what may be driving the insomnia: depression, anxiety, alcohol, medicines, or signs of a sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea (loud snoring, pauses in breathing) that may need a sleep study. If a medicine is used, it is usually for a short period alongside CBT-I, with a plan to stop. In India, Dr. Sandeep Vohra and Dr. Aditya Vohra see patients through the hub, online or in East Patel Nagar. Abroad, prescribing follows local law.
Habits that help tonight
- Get up at the same time every day, whatever the night was like
- Keep the bed for sleep; read or scroll somewhere else
- No caffeine after lunch, and no alcohol as a way to fall asleep
- If you are awake for a long while, get up and do something quiet in dim light
- Get outside into daylight in the morning
When is poor sleep urgent?
See a doctor promptly if you have gone several nights with almost no sleep, feel unusually energetic despite not sleeping, are confused, or are having thoughts of self-harm. In India, call Tele-MANAS on 14416, or 112 in an emergency; abroad, call your local emergency number.
Frequently asked questions
- Are sleeping pills the answer?
- Usually not on their own. Sleeping pills can help for a short time but do not change the habits and worry that keep insomnia going, and some can be habit-forming. CBT-I comes first, and a psychiatrist advises if a medicine is needed.
- Can insomnia be treated online?
- Yes. Your psychologist reviews your sleep diary with you on each video call, so the whole CBT-I programme can run from home. Psychiatric consultations are also available online in India.
- How do I get started with NWNT?
- Take the Stressometer online from anywhere in the world, or call or WhatsApp +91 78279 90371, or email help@nwnt.ai. In India, psychologist and psychiatrist sessions follow through Dr. Vohra's Emotional Wellness Hub, online or in person at 29/24, East Patel Nagar, New Delhi 110008. Outside India, NWNT helps you or your organisation reach locally licensed care.