The PsychCentral Newsroom had a nice piece on brief behavioral therapy for insomnia. Innability to sleep is the most common sleep complaint and one of the most common psychological symptoms reported overall. It can be related to many other significant problems like depression and anxiety, and there are a variety of treatment methods. Many folks turn to medication but others go for psychotherapy since it can help a person better understand the problem and work toward a sustainable solution. The current article says,
“These preliminary findings are consistent with previous studies that have shown that brief behavioral insomnia interventions can be efficacious and remain efficacious in older adults who present with the typical psychiatric and medical comorbidities associated with aging,” the authors wrote.”
One of the most oft cited people in sleep discussions on the web is Dr. Kripke, who has a behavioral method of solving a variety of sleep problems. It’s simple: wake up at the same time every day no matter what, and only go to sleep when you are tired (plus a series of other steps like avoiding caffeine). The other key in my opinion is understanding whatever underlying problems also exist that manifest as insomnia.
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Loading ...You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
One Comment to
“Brief Treatment for Insomnia”
While I have never been clinically diagnosed with insomnia, I have always had problems sleeping. It’s not something I am desperately seeking help for, but there are nights where I lay awake for hours unable to fall asleep. The article points out that insomnia can be related to other problems like depression and anxiety. I have always been a very high stress person, which I’m sure contributes to my inability to sleep at times. The article also suggests a behavioral method which involves waking up at the same time every day no matter what, and only going to sleep when you are tired. This seems like a very reasonable method. However, as a college student, I already feel that I lack enough sleep as it is. Therefore, I prefer to get as much sleep as I possibly can when I have the opportunity. I’ll save Dr. Kripke’s methods for when I am older.
Join the Conversation! Post a Comment:
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 2 Oct 2006
