New Help for Insomniacs

Everybody has suffered from an occasional night of restless wakefulness, but for one-third of the general population it is a regular occurrence. Defined as the prolonged inability to secure adequate sleep the problem does not just have a night ime affect, but carries over into day. Lack of adequate rest over a long period of time can lead to depression, high blood pressure, and generally erode the quality of life for those who suffer from the problem.

A high percentage of insomnia sufferers do not seek medical help and live with the problem or try over-the-counter methods to aid in sleep. Those who do seek medical help for their lack of sleep are generally prescribed a sleep aid which may aid in sleep but carries with it the possibility of dependency and other side effects.

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada have looked at ways to teach insomniacs to fall asleep and in a study of 160 adults diagnosed with chronic insomnia have found that talk therapy in combination with the medication zolpidem, sold as Ambien by Sanofi-Aventis, provided better long term results than medication alone.

During an initial six-week treatment period, weekly group therapy sessions and nightly medication worked equally well, with around 60 percent of the patients going to sleep more quickly and sleeping longer, according to researcher Charles Morin. In the six-month follow up, those patients who had continued therapy sessions had better sleep than those offered drugs as needed. Morin wrote that the best long-term outcome was obtained with patients treated with combined therapy followed by talk therapy alone. Although the findings are promising, there is no treatment that works for every patient with insomnia.

Zolpidem is only recommended for short periods. Side effects include morning drowsiness and hallucinations if sleep doesn’t arrive right away, and dependence is not uncommon. Sleep walking, sleep driving, binge eating and talking while sleeping have been reported among the drugs users.

While the researchers believe that the medication and talk therapy will improve the time and amount of sleep for those using the treatment, they also stress that the old recommendations are still worth practicing.

• Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
• Don’t read, watch TV, or lie awake worrying in bed.
• Don’t drink anything with caffeine for a few hours before bedtime.
• Exercise, but do it early in the day.
• Prepare for bed with quiet time, a warm bath, a cup of cocoa, whatever makes you feel drowsy.
• If you can’t get to sleep after you go to bed get up and do something quite until you feel sleepy again.
• Don’t leave a clock where you can see it from bed.
• Keep a regular schedule, go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
•