Credit: Sleep problems photo via Shutterstock
Talk Therapy May Be Key to Treating Insomnia
For people withِ insomnia — thatِ includes nearlyِ one inِ fiveِ American adults — theِ mostِ common treatments areِ sleeping pills andِ cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimesِ called talk therapy.
Although bothِ treatments haveِ their benefits andِ risks, experts areِ increasingly recommending cognitive behavioral therapy, orِ CBT, insteadِ of pills.
Research hasِ suggested CBT canِ beِ asِ effective asِ drugs inِ treating chronic sleep problems.
Sleeping pills can be a benefit for the short-term
adults find itِ difficult toِ fall asleep everyِ night forِ days orِ weeks, according toِ theِ National Institutes ofِ Health.
Insomnia canِ last severalِ weeks, andِ it canِ beِ a sign ofِ other health problems,including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, substance abuse orِ mental disorders.
Chronic insomnia isِ a public health issue, Plante said.
Some people have tried multiple medications, but they become less effective over time, he added.
Limited availability
While CBT isِ widely viewed asِ effective forِ insomnia, itِ isn’t alwaysِ available forِ everyone.
Often, people whoِ live inِ remote areas don’t haveِ access toِ specialists trained inِ CBT, orِ they can’t find a specialist withinِ theirِ health care provider network.
Studies haveِ shown thatِ onِ average, itِ takes aboutِ eight weeks ofِ CBT beforeِ sleep improves, according toِ Findley.
