What is the technique called when a therapist instructs a client with insomnia to get up and perform a task if they cannot sleep?

The technique where a therapist instructs a client with insomnia to get up and perform a task if they cannot sleep is known as ordeal therapy. This approach essentially involves creating a situation that the client would ordinarily find aversive or challenging, thereby encouraging them to confront and engage with their discomfort or anxiety. In the context of insomnia, if a person is unable to fall asleep, instead of remaining in bed and becoming frustrated, they are encouraged to get up and engage in a calm, non-stimulating activity until they feel sleepy again. This method helps to break the cycle of anxiety surrounding sleep and reduces the pressure to fall asleep, which can itself contribute to insomnia.

Sleep hygiene focuses on good practices and habits surrounding sleep to improve sleep quality but does not specifically include the directive to get out of bed. Cognitive behavioral therapy, while effective for insomnia, encompasses a broader range of techniques aimed at changing thought patterns and behaviors related to sleep. Exposure therapy is typically used for anxiety disorders, where clients are gradually exposed to feared stimuli; it is not specifically related to insomnia treatments.