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Insomnia & sleep disorders

Insomnia care, from the cause
to a real night's sleep.

Chronic insomnia, sleep-onset trouble, racing thoughts at night, sleep disrupted by anxiety or depression. Evidence-based psychiatric evaluation and treatment — in person or by telehealth.

SMS appointment reminders are optional. You may opt in during booking — consent is not required to schedule or receive care. Msg & data rates may apply for opted-in numbers. Reply STOP to opt out anytime. See our SMS Consent & Terms.

Mount Fuji at night under a quiet sky
Universal Medical GroupPsychiatry · Est. 2008
TelePsychiatry across all 58 CA counties
Now accepting new patients
Most major insurance & self-pay
Five languages spoken in-house
About insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting roughly 1 in 3 adults at some point. Chronic insomnia means trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early at least 3 nights a week for 3+ months — and it's affecting your daytime functioning.

From a psychiatric standpoint, insomnia is rarely "just" insomnia. It's often the first sign of an underlying issue — depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, substance withdrawal, or a medication side effect — that needs to be addressed for sleep to actually improve.

Chasing sleep with sleeping pills alone often makes things worse over time. Effective treatment means understanding why you can't sleep and addressing the cause.

Common symptoms

  • OnsetTrouble falling asleep (more than 30 minutes most nights)
  • MaintenanceWaking up multiple times during the night
  • Early wakingWaking too early and unable to get back to sleep
  • Racing mindRacing thoughts or rumination at bedtime
  • DaytimeDaytime fatigue, brain fog, or mood impact from poor sleep
  • Sleep anxietyWorry about sleep itself — "sleep anxiety"
  • ToleranceReliance on sleep aids that aren't working as well as they used to

If symptoms are interfering with daily life — or if you've felt this way for more than two weeks — it's worth a conversation with a psychiatrist.

Treatment options

How insomnia is treated.

Effective treatment usually combines medication, therapy, and lifestyle factors. We work with you to find the right combination.

01

Underlying cause treatment

Treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, or ADHD often resolves insomnia. We screen for these at the first visit.

First visit
02

CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) referrals

First-line, gold-standard non-medication treatment. We refer to vetted CBT-I therapists or recommend evidence-based apps.

Gold standard
03

Targeted sleep medications

Trazodone, mirtazapine, doxepin, or newer agents like suvorexant — chosen based on whether the issue is sleep onset, maintenance, or both.

Medication
04

Stopping problem medications

Many psychiatric medications can disrupt sleep. We review your full medication list and adjust where possible.

Medication review
05

Sleep apnea screening

Many "insomniacs" actually have undiagnosed sleep apnea. We refer for sleep studies when indicated.

Referral
The UMG approach

Care that takes time.

We're cautious with benzodiazepines and z-drugs (Ambien, Lunesta) for chronic insomnia — they often work short-term but can cause dependence and rebound insomnia when stopped. We use them strategically when appropriate, not as long-term solutions.

The right approach depends on the cause. If you can't sleep because you're depressed, antidepressants that improve sleep (like mirtazapine) often solve both problems. If you're anxious at bedtime, treating anxiety treats sleep. If you have ADHD, evening rumination often improves with stimulant adjustment.

Initial evaluations are 60–90 minutes — we ask about sleep in detail (timing, environment, caffeine, alcohol, screens, exercise, stress) before reaching for medication.

SMS appointment reminders are optional. You may opt in during booking — consent is not required to schedule or receive care. Msg & data rates may apply for opted-in numbers. Reply STOP to opt out anytime. See our SMS Consent & Terms.

A tranquil fountain at a Universal Medical Group clinic
Inside the practice — calm, private, unhurried.
Where to see us

In person or by telehealth.

Four California clinics for in-person care, plus TelePsychiatry for patients anywhere in the state.

Pleasant Hill

91 Gregory Lane, Suite 20
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 · Contra Costa County

Spravato® · TMS · full services Pleasant Hill clinic

Vallejo

532 Oregon Street
Vallejo, CA 94590 · Solano County

Psychiatry · MAT · full services Vallejo clinic

Davis

509 4th Street, Suite A4
Davis, CA 95616 · Yolo County

ADHD testing · psychiatry Davis clinic

Fremont

39001 Sundale Drive
Fremont, CA 94538 · Alameda County

Psychiatry · MAT · full services Fremont clinic

TelePsychiatry

Secure video psychiatric care from home — across all 58 California counties.

All 58 California counties Explore TelePsychiatry
Frequently asked

Common questions.

We can — but we don't lead with them for chronic insomnia. Both can cause dependence and rebound insomnia. We discuss the trade-offs honestly. For some patients, short-term use is appropriate; for most chronic insomnia, there are better long-term options.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia — a structured, evidence-based therapy program that's first-line for chronic insomnia. It typically runs 6–8 sessions and works as well or better than sleep medication, with effects that last.
Yes. Most insomnia evaluations and follow-ups work well over telehealth across all 58 California counties.
Melatonin works for some types of sleep issues (jet lag, circadian shifts) but not for most chronic insomnia. The next step is figuring out the cause — that's what we do at the first visit.
Yes. We accept most major commercial insurance for sleep-related psychiatric evaluation and treatment, plus self-pay options.
Begin

A better night's sleep starts with the cause.

Universal Medical Group is accepting new patients across California — in person and by TelePsychiatry. Let's find out why you can't sleep, and address it.

SMS appointment reminders are optional. You may opt in during booking — consent is not required to schedule or receive care. Msg & data rates may apply for opted-in numbers. Reply STOP to opt out anytime. See our SMS Consent & Terms.