Dr Vohra's · Updated
Signs to look for
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months
- Waking unrefreshed
- Daytime tiredness, irritability, poor concentration
- Worry about sleep itself
At Dr Vohra's
Who to see first: a psychiatrist or a psychologist; the clinic coordinates both.
Clinicians: Dr. Sandeep Vohra
Treatments: Psychiatric consultation, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Medication management, Mindfulness-based therapy
ICD-11: 7A00
Why insomnia persists
Insomnia usually starts with a trigger (stress, illness, a new baby, shift work) and then stays because of what people do to cope: going to bed early, lying awake, napping, checking the clock, using the phone in bed, and worrying about the next day. The bed becomes a place of wakefulness. CBT-I reverses this.
How is insomnia treated at Dr Vohra's?
The evaluation screens for depression, anxiety, substance use, sleep apnoea (loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, waking with headaches), restless legs, and medicines that disturb sleep. Where another condition is driving the insomnia, treating it comes first.
CBT-I runs over four to eight sessions: a sleep diary, a fixed wake time, restricting time in bed to the time actually slept and then expanding it, getting out of bed when awake, and work on the thoughts about sleep. Most people improve within three to four weeks.
Medication is used short term where needed, choosing the least habit-forming option and with a stop date. Benzodiazepines and z-drugs are avoided for long-term use because of tolerance and dependence.
Sleep habits that help
- Same wake time every day, including weekends
- No screens in bed; the bed is for sleep
- No caffeine after early afternoon, no alcohol as a sleep aid
- Daylight in the morning, dim light in the evening
- If awake for 20 minutes, get up and do something dull until sleepy
Frequently asked questions
- Will I be given sleeping pills?
- Only if needed and only short term. CBT-I is the first-line treatment because its effects last after it ends, which sleeping pills' do not.
- Is CBT-I available online?
- Yes. CBT-I works well over video, using a shared sleep diary.
- How do I book an appointment at Dr Vohra's?
- Call or WhatsApp +91 99992 49223, email help@drvohras.com, or use the contact form. Appointments are in person at 29/24, East Patel Nagar, New Delhi 110008, or online by secure video or voice call across India, in English and Hindi.
- What if I am in crisis right now?
- Call Tele-MANAS 14416 or KIRAN 1800-599-0019, both 24x7 and free anywhere in India, or 112 for emergency services. Dr Vohra's is an outpatient clinic, not an emergency service.