Even 6 months after behavioral therapy, insomnia was reduced or eliminated
January 27, 2011
Insomnia is especially prevalent among older adults; by some estimates, up to 35% of older people suffer from the sleep disorder. A study from the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that brief behavioral counseling sessions may be an effective insomnia treatment for older adults.
Seventy-nine adults with an average age of 72 who had been diagnosed with chronic insomnia were chosen to receive one of two treatments, either four weeks of behavioral counseling sessions or a packet of written information on sleep and insomnia. The behavioral treatment, administered by a mental health nurse practitioner, emphasized getting out of bed at the same time every day, reducing the time spent in bed, going to bed only when sleepy, and not staying in bed unless asleep.
After four weeks, 55% of the people receiving insomnia treatment no longer experienced insomnia, while only 13% of those who received the information packet had resolved the problem. Importantly, the improvements in sleep brought about by the behavioral therapy were maintained up to six months later.
These results are important because older adults are prescribed sleep medications more frequently and for a longer duration than other groups, and they suffer more adverse effects from these drugs. They are also more susceptible to falls and hip fractures, which have been linked to insomnia.
Insomnia can be caused by a number of different factors—including drugs, stress or medical conditions, such as other sleep disorders—and treatments can vary accordingly. Most experts recommend healthy sleep practices for everyone. Behavioral therapy for insomnia is an additional strategy that can help you achieve better sleep, conclude the study authors: "Brief, nurse-administered behavioral and cognitive behavioral treatments [CBT] appear to be feasible and efficacious for older adults with comorbid insomnia."
Source: Daniel J. Buysse, et al. "Efficacy of Brief Behavioral Treatment for Chronic Insomnia in Older Adults." Archives of Internal Medicine. 2011;0(2011):20105351-9.
