Adults with chronic insomnia could finally find some relief from some behavioral and psychological treatments, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Chronic insomnia affects millions of American adults who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or they may regularly wake up earlier than desired, even if they’re allowing enough time in bed for sleep. Telling daytime symptoms include fatigue or sleepiness; having trouble concentrating; feeling depressed, anxious, or irritable; and having low motivation or energy.
The AASM’s new guideline strongly recommends combining one or more cognitive therapy strategies with education about sleep regulation plus behavioral strategies such as stimulus control instructions and sleep restriction therapy. The treatment typically involves four to eight sessions.
The guideline includes several conditional recommendations, including multicomponent brief therapies and three single-component therapies — stimulus control, sleep restriction therapy and relaxation therapy.
Source: Science Daily December 16, 2020