Sleep efficiency is the percentage of time in bed actually spent sleeping: (total sleep time / total time in bed) × 100. An efficiency above 85% is considered good. It is the main metric guiding adjustments in sleep restriction within CBT-I.
Concept origin
The parameter was consolidated in clinical polysomnography research. Spielman and colleagues (1987) adopted it as a progress indicator in sleep restriction. Most CBT-I protocols use 85-90% as the threshold for extending the time-in-bed window.
Therapeutic approach
Calculated daily with the sleep diary: if I sleep 6 hours but am in bed 9, my efficiency is 67%. CBT-I raises efficiency by compressing time in bed until sleep consolidates, then gradually extends the window while maintaining high efficiency.
Related concepts
Want to put this into practice with concrete tools?
View step-by-step program →This content is informational and does not replace consultation with a mental health professional. If you are going through a difficult time, speaking with a specialist can make a real difference.