Who Is Sleep Mastery 101

I'm Dr. Michael Hughes, a family medicine physician with over 30 years of experience in Grand Junction, Colorado. I currently practice at Trailhead Clinics—a membership-based primary care clinic specializing in lifestyle medicine—where we help patients improve their health through balanced diet, exercise, enhanced social support, stress management, and better sleep.

A graduate of the University of Colorado Medical School with a Family Practice residency at St. Mary’s Hospital, I spent 24 years in another local practice before joining Trailhead Clinics. My interest in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) began when I learned it’s the most effective treatment for insomnia. For years, I mentioned CBT-I to my patients while prescribing sleep medications, not fully understanding its potential. After delving into its basic concepts and becoming certified to teach CBT-I through a course led by Harvard psychologist Dr. Gregg Jacobs—who has been sharing his expertise for over 30 years—I developed a course that breaks down the essential principles of CBT-I in an easy-to-grasp format.

While not a therapist, my unique perspective as a family physician allows me to treat the whole patient. I believe that although CBT-I is not a quick fix, its learned discipline can transform the behaviors and beliefs causing insomnia, leading to lasting improvements without the side effects of medications. I plan to continue expanding the course as I learn more, all with the goal of helping patients achieve better sleep and improved overall well-being.