Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia : Get a Good Night's Sleep Without Relying on Medication

For every woman who “does it all” . . . except get a good night’s sleep!

More than 60 percent of American women have trouble sleeping― which isn’t surprising, as they have a higher risk of developing sleeping problems. But addressing this issue is more nuanced for women than for men; pregnancy and menopause are just two factors that add complexity to an already difficult problem. At the risk of jeopardizing work, parenting, relationships, or overall health, no woman can afford to deal with sleep deprivation on her own.

The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia is a roadmap for those who experience anything from occasional bad nights to chronic insomnia. It outlines several methods to overcome these issues and improve physical and emotional well- being. From medical sleep aids to nonmedical approaches, the book looks beyond the basics of sleep hygiene, helping women to retrain their bodies and minds for a good night’s sleep every night.

Shelby Harris, PsyD, is in private practice in White Plains, NY where she specializes in the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression. She is board certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (BSM) by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and treats a wide variety of sleep disorders (insomnia, nightmares, circadian rhythm disorders, narcolepsy, apnea treatment noncompliance) using evidence-based non-pharmacological treatments. Before going into private practice, Dr. Harris was the longstanding director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center. 

Dr. Harris currently holds a dual academic appointment as Clinical Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in both the Neurology and Psychiatry Departments. Dr. Harris has published and presented research on the neuropsychological effects of insomnia in older adults as well as behavioral treatments for insomnia, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and excessive daytime sleepiness. She is frequently invited by hospitals and organizations to give grand rounds lectures and workshops.

She obtained her undergraduate degree with honors from Brown University and graduated with her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. Dr. Harris completed her predoctoral internship at Montefiore Medical Center where she trained in the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center and received advanced postdoctoral training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for anxiety and depression.

Dr. Harris has been an invited columnist for the New York Times "Consults Blog," Dr. Oz's website "You Beauty," and Psychology Today and is frequently quoted in the media, including such publications as The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, and New York Magazine. She has appeared on the Today Show, World News with Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, ABC7-NY's Eyewitness News, CBS News and ABC's Primetime: Live.