| Behavioral treatments for insomnia are recommended | | | | Cognitive behavioral therapy is basically changing your |
| changes in behavior that may be triggering or | | | | frame of mind regarding sleep. This includes replacing |
| reinforcing poor sleeping habits. Behavioral treatments | | | | negative thoughts with positive affirmations. So |
| may be a preferred method when there is a concern | | | | instead of thinking "I can't sleep" or "I don't have |
| of drug dependence due to prolonged use. Behavioral | | | | enough time to get some good sleep", you replace |
| treatments are effective for all age demographics | | | | these with "I can't wait to get to sleep" or "sleeping |
| and don't cause side effects the way drug-based | | | | is so good." |
| solutions do. The following is a list of the behavioral | | | | Cognitive behavioral therapy also includes actions to |
| treatments that a sleep specialist or physician may | | | | change behavior such as counseling. This is used |
| recommend in order to treat a patient diagnosed | | | | when a patient suffering from insomnia needs to |
| with insomnia. | | | | work some psychological issues that he or she may |
| * Stimulus Control | | | | have that may be leading to poor quality sleep. |
| The idea behind stimulus control is to condition the | | | | Counseling basically brings a patient's thought pattern |
| mind and psychologically associate the bedroom with | | | | back to a realistic state wherein he or she can see |
| sleeping. To achieve this goal, the bedroom | | | | problems, as well as solutions, in a clear light. This |
| environment is modified to remove all stimuli that | | | | causes the anxiety and stress from this thought to |
| may trigger or engage the mind into staying awake. | | | | become manageable or to banish it altogether. |
| * Relaxation Techniques | | | | * Biofeedback |
| Relaxation techniques are exercises that a patient | | | | Biofeedback is a method used to monitor a person |
| can do in order to clear the mind and unwind the | | | | using an electroencephalogram (EEG). The EEG |
| body. These exercises may include deep-breathing, | | | | measure brainwave activity. Biofeedback patients are |
| light stretching and meditation. All these exercises are | | | | given feedback so that they can distinguish their |
| to induce relaxation and a controlled sleep. If a | | | | mood and states of mind. This prevents them from |
| person is in bed and having trouble falling asleep, he | | | | voluntarily avoiding or repeating moods that stop |
| or she should get up and engage in some light | | | | them from being able to sleep. |
| relaxing activities like slow-breathing, listening to soft | | | | * Light Therapy |
| music or reading a book. | | | | Light therapy is not only good for treating seasonal |
| * SleepRestriction Therapy | | | | affective disorders (SAD), but it is also used to trick |
| The purpose behind sleep restriction therapy is to | | | | your body into thinking that it is bedtime. The human |
| build up a sleep deficit by restricting the amount of | | | | body has an internal clock that follows the circadian |
| sleep and then gradually increasing the amount of | | | | rhythm, which is influenced by the amount of light |
| sleep until it reaches the desired amount. When the | | | | experienced. Bright light may cause alertness and |
| amount of sleep is temporarily shortened, it becomes | | | | dark light causes drowsiness. This simple procedure |
| much easier for a person to fall asleep . | | | | involves staring at a special fluorescent light for |
| * Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | | | | approximately 30 minutes per session. |