What are the different types of treatments available for insomnia?
If insomnia is caused by a temporary change like travel or a new stress, there is usually no need for treatment since the insomnia will usually go away when the person’s normal pattern returns. When insomnia is long-lasting, rather than temporary, several forms of treatment are available from behavioral changes to medications. Changing behavior is a good place to start. One treatment approach which studies have found to be effective is called “stimulus control” or “cognitive behavior therapy”. This behavioral approach teaches people a number of ways to improve sleep including: 1) to pick the same wake up time every day of the week; 2) to only use the bedroom for sleeping or sex; 3) to not sleep anywhere else except the bedroom; 4) to leave the bedroom if the person hasn’t fallen asleep in 15 to 20 minutes; and 5) to not come back to bed until the person feels sleepy. Following this type of program has been shown to help patients sleep better and feel better in the morning. When less in
