Medical treatment for insomnia?
Friday January 20th, 2012
People with insomnia should receive medical treatment for the condition to help prevent other illnesses such as depression, hypertension and diabetes, experts say today.
A
North America review concluded that insomniacs are more than five times
more likely to suffer anxiety and depression than those who do not have
the condition.
They are also at more than double the risk of developing congestive heart failure and diabetes, and have an elevated risk of death.
Writing Online First in The Lancet, Charles Morin from the Université Laval, Québec City, Canada, and Ruth Benca from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, said people with sleep problems should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
“In view of the high prevalence and substantial morbidities of insomnia, patients should routinely be asked about sleep problems by health-care providers,” say the authors.
Sleeping problems affect about one quarter of the adult population and between six and 10 per cent suffer from an insomnia disorder. One study also claimed insomniacs are seven times more likely to abuse alcohol or drugs compared with those without the condition, said the report’s authors.
They called for more research into which drugs best treat the condition because there are few studies that evaluate the long-term use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including antidepressants and antihistamines.
In the USA, the National Institutes of Health recommends only two treatment options, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and approved hypnotic drugs.
CBT, which uses psychological and behavioural methods such as relaxation techniques, sleep restriction, stimulus control, can be an effective treatment for insomnia. But there are few health-care professionals who are trained in the therapy.
“Although CBT is not readily available in most clinical settings, access and delivery can be made easier through the use of innovative methods such as telephone consultations, group therapy, and self-help approaches via the internet,” write the authors.
“There is an urgent need for more public education about sleep and broader dissemination of evidence-based therapies for insomnia, and education and training to prepare health-practitioners to attend and treat insomnia complaints according to clinical guidelines.”
Tags: General Health | Mental Health | North America
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