It is estimated that one in ten U.S. adults suffers
from chronic insomnia. If left untreated, chronic
insomnia reduces quality of life and increases risk for
psychiatric and medical disease, especially depression
and anxiety. There are two forms of insomnia: secondary
insomnia, in which it is comorbid with another condition
such as psychiatric disorders, chronic pain conditions,
or cardiopulmonary disorders, and primary insomnia,
which does not coexist with any other disorder, Though
insomnia may be caused by any number of things, it is
primarily sustained by the development of poor sleep
habits (such as varying sleep-wake schedule, daytime
napping, and spending excessive time in bed) as an
attempt to manage the problem. This treatment program
uses cognitive-behavioral therapy methods to correct
those poor sleep habits. CBT has been proven in multiple
studies to improve sleep hygiene by reducing time spent
in bed before sleep onset, reducing time spent awake
after first sleep onset, and increasing the quality and
efficiency of sleep. Developed by the authors, this
evidence based treatment can be used for both primary
and secondary insomnia sufferers. Patients are first
given information about healthy sleep and the reasons
for improving sleep habits, then a behavioral program is
developed to address that patient's specific sleep
problems. Use of sleep logs, assessment forms, and other
homework (all provided in the corresponding workbook)
allows client and therapist to work together to develop
an effective sleep regimen tailored specifically for
each client. Finally, several sessions are dedicated to
increasing compliance and problem-solving. |
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