#INSOMNIA BEST TREATMENT HOW TO#

You can search /sleep-center on the web for a sleep center in the U.S. You may have to search for a trained practitioner and a treatment schedule to fit your needs. There are a limited number of certified behavioral sleep medicine specialists. Many types of providers can deliver CBT guidance for insomnia, including behavioral sleep medicine specialists and members of your primary care team. Insomnia is not likely to get better without treatment. If your insomnia is related to a medical condition or to a medicine you're taking, talk to your health care provider about how best to manage sleep problems. Some medicines, including those available without a prescription, also can cause insomnia. Ongoing lack of sleep increases your risk of health conditions such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and long-term pain. Examples include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental health conditions also can disrupt sleep. These include heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and arthritis. Many medical conditions can disrupt sleep. If CBT is not available where you live, ask your health care provider for sleep tips that are based on CBT. In some cases, a blend of sleep medicine and CBT may be best. But it takes time and effort to make it work. Unlike sleep medicines, CBT addresses what's causing your insomnia rather than just relieving symptoms. It also can be a good choice if medicines aren't effective or cause bothersome side effects. Most commonly, these medicines can make you tired when you need to be alert, for example, at work or while driving.ĬBT may be a good treatment choice if you have long-term sleep problems or you're worried about becoming dependent on sleep medicines. Also, some prescriptions come with the risk of serious side effects, including dependence, withdrawal symptoms, amnesia and thoughts about suicide. It's unlikely that all your insomnia symptoms will go away with medicines alone. But generally sleeping pills are not the best long-term treatment for insomnia for many people. Some newer sleep medicines are approved for longer use. For example, they can provide relief right away when you're very stressed or grieving.

Some prescription sleep medicines can be an effective short-term treatment. It's common for people to try sleeping pills available without a prescription before seeking help for insomnia. The most effective treatment approach may combine several of these methods. This information can show patterns that affect sleep. Your sleep specialist may ask you to take a biofeedback device home to record your daily patterns. This technique involves using a device that shows signs such as your heart rate and muscle tension. Letting go of this worry can help you relax and make it easier to fall asleep. That's because worrying that you can't sleep can keep you awake. With this method, once you're in bed, you try not to think about falling asleep. Approaches include meditation, imagery and muscle relaxation. These techniques help you calm your mind and body. You may learn tips that can help you sleep better, such as ways to wind down an hour or two before bedtime. Not getting regular physical activity also can lead to poor sleep. Change habits that lead to poor sleep, such as smoking, drinking too much caffeine late in the day and drinking too much alcohol.

But once your sleep gets better, your time in bed is slowly increased. This makes you more tired the next night. If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and don't go back to bed until you're sleepy. Lying in bed when you're awake can become a habit that leads to poor sleep. The behavioral part of CBT helps you develop good sleep habits and avoid behaviors that keep you from sleeping well.ĭepending on your needs, your sleep specialist may recommend that you: This type of therapy can help you control or get rid of negative thoughts and worries that keep you awake. The cognitive part of CBT teaches you to look for and change beliefs that affect your ability to sleep.

#INSOMNIA BEST TREATMENT HOW TO#

To find out how to best treat your insomnia, your sleep specialist may ask you to keep a detailed sleep diary for 1 to 2 weeks. Unlike sleeping pills, CBT helps you overcome the causes of your sleep problems. You learn how to replace these thoughts and behaviors with habits that support sound sleep. Generally, it's the first treatment recommended.ĬBT helps you find out which thoughts and behaviors cause sleep problems or make them worse. Cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes called CBT, can effectively treat long-term sleep problems like insomnia. It also can cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Insomnia best treatment