Bleary-eyed insomniacs are well aware that sleep problems will not be limited to the nighttime hours. In fact, individuals who have trouble falling or staying asleep often feel worse throughout the day.
Many individuals with insomnia turn to sleeping pills, which frequently have unwanted negative effects. Few of them find out about equally effective treatments that focus on the underlying reason for insomnia without drugs. Called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-i, this short-term talk therapy teaches people to alter unproductive thought patterns and habits that get in the way in which of an excellent night's sleep. While this therapy can't “cure” insomnia, it will possibly offer you tools to raised manage it.
In a ___ Review this week's article. History of Internal Medicine, Researchers combined data from 20 different trials of CBT-i involving greater than 1,100 individuals with chronic insomnia. On average, people treated with CBT-i fell asleep about 20 minutes faster and spent half-hour less awake throughout the night than individuals who didn’t receive CBT-i.
These improvements are pretty much as good as, or higher than, those seen in individuals who take prescription sleep medications equivalent to zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta). And unlike medication, the results of CBT-i persist long after therapy ends — no less than six months, in keeping with one study.
Learning to sleep
What does CBT-i involve? Typically, you see a therapist once per week for an hour, for six to eight weeks. You'll complete a sleep diary and learn strategies to assist change your sleep patterns.
A typical suggestion from CBT-i is to get off the bed and do something relaxing in the event you can't go to sleep inside about 20 minutes of coming in. The idea is to associate your bed with comfort and leisure, not frustration and anxiety.
Learning leisure techniques equivalent to mindfulness meditation (which itself can improve insomnia, as I described in an earlier post) is one other necessary a part of CBT-i. Being capable of cultivate peace of mind is very useful for insomniacs because, as Dr. Amira explains, “Sleep is one in all the few things in life that the more you’re employed at it, the simpler it’s. It becomes tougher than ever.”
Most medical insurance plans cover CBT-i, which falls under mental health coverage. There's only one problem: Many therapists aren't trained on this specific kind of talk therapy. Even within the medical mecca of Boston, only five therapists offer CBT-i.
You can find lists of certified specialists nationwide. American Board of Sleep Medicine And Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine. If face-to-face therapy isn't an option, you should buy a web-based version of the technique. The best-studied program known as Healthy Sleep Using the Internet, or SHUTi (www.shuti.me). Oh A government-funded study examines the effectiveness of SHUTi. Among individuals with insomnia — including those with other medical conditions — is currently within the works.