Alternative insomnia treatments include medication and brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBT-I). But CBT-I is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia because it's one of the most effective treatments available.
However, CBT-I may not work for everyone. For people who don't respond to CBT-I alone, their healthcare provider may recommend combining CBT-I with medication.
Brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBT-I) is a shorter program of behavioral therapy that doesn't have the cognitive portion of CBT-I. While there's not as much evidence to support BBT-I, it may be a good choice for people who lack access to CBT-I or want a shorter program.