About insomnia
Chronic insomnia means difficulty falling or staying asleep several nights a week for months. Cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first treatment and works on habits, schedules and the thoughts that keep sleeplessness going.
Therapist is the everyday word for a professional who offers talking therapy: depending on the country it can be a psychologist, a psychotherapist, a licensed counsellor, a marriage and family therapist or a clinical social worker. Profiles show each therapist’s actual title, training and registration.
Getting mental health care in Denmark
Public health system · Regional public health insurance (sygesikring) – psykologbehandling med henvisning
People in specified referral groups can get psychologist treatment with a referral from their own GP or the out-of-hours doctor, and can choose freely among private psychologists who have an agreement with the regions. The region pays 60 percent of the fee and the patient pays 40 percent; certain young adults with depression or anxiety pay nothing.
How to check that a professional is licensed
- Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed); previously Psykolognævnet. Since 1 January 2026 psychologists are authorised health professionals under the Patient Safety Authority, which took over authorisation and supervision from Psykolognævnet. Check that the psychologist appears in the authorisation register. Search the official register
- Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed). Doctors, including psychiatrists, must hold a Danish authorisation, which can be checked in the authorisation register. Search the official register
Insurance and coverage
Only authorised private psychologists with an agreement with the regions can offer the subsidised scheme; without an agreement, or without a qualifying referral, the client pays the full fee.
Urgent help in Denmark
If your life or someone else's is in danger, call the emergency number now. These services can help at any time:
- 112 · Emergencias
- 70 201 201 · Livslinien
- 39 25 25 25 · Psykiatrifondens rådgivning
Information reviewed in November 2026 · Sources: lovguiden.dk, lovguiden.dk, regioner.dk, autregweb.stps.dk
Signs to look out for
Everyone sleeps badly sometimes, especially during stress. Insomnia may need attention when you regularly struggle to fall asleep, wake up often or very early and cannot get back to sleep, or wake unrefreshed, for several weeks, and it affects your mood, concentration, energy or safety during the day. Worrying about sleep itself often becomes part of the problem.
What helps: treatments and professionals
Cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended as a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. It includes sleep scheduling, stimulus control, work on unhelpful beliefs about sleep and relaxation techniques. Psychologists and clinical psychologists trained in CBT-I usually provide it, individually, in groups or through guided digital programmes. A doctor should rule out physical causes and other sleep disorders.
When to seek urgent help
Seek prompt medical attention if you stop breathing or gasp during sleep, fall asleep while driving or in dangerous situations, or go several nights with almost no sleep alongside unusual energy, racing thoughts or confusion. If lack of sleep comes with hopelessness or thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department.
What you can do in the meantime
Keep a regular wake-up time every day, including weekends, and only go to bed when you feel sleepy. If you cannot sleep after a while, get up and do something calm in dim light until you feel drowsy. Limit caffeine after midday, alcohol and heavy meals at night. Reduce screens before bed and get daylight and movement during the day.
What does a therapist do?
A therapist helps you talk through what is worrying you and find practical ways to feel and cope better. In sessions they listen, ask questions, help you notice patterns in your thoughts, emotions and relationships, and agree goals with you. Depending on their training they may use cognitive-behavioural, humanistic, systemic, psychodynamic or other evidence-based approaches, with individuals, couples, families or groups.
When to see a therapist
It makes sense to look for a therapist when stress, anxiety, low mood, grief, relationship problems, a difficult change or the effects of past experiences start to weigh on your daily life, or when you simply want space to understand yourself better. If symptoms are severe, you may need medication or there are signs of a medical cause, involve your doctor or a psychiatrist as well.
How to choose
When choosing, check the licence and training, the approach they use and whether they have experience with what you need. Consider practical aspects too: language, price, location or online sessions and availability. The relationship with the professional matters a great deal; if after a few sessions it does not feel right, it is fine to change.
Frequently asked questions
Does the public health system in Denmark cover psychological care?
People in specified referral groups can get psychologist treatment with a referral from their own GP or the out-of-hours doctor, and can choose freely among private psychologists who have an agreement with the regions. The region pays 60 percent of the fee and the patient pays 40 percent; certain young adults with depression or anxiety pay nothing.
How do I check that a therapist is licensed in Denmark?
Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed); previously Psykolognævnet: Since 1 January 2026 psychologists are authorised health professionals under the Patient Safety Authority, which took over authorisation and supervision from Psykolognævnet. Check that the psychologist appears in the authorisation register.