According to a 2010 review in Medical Clinics of North America, insomnia is a common problem affecting many people. In fact, 30 percent of older people experience insomnia at night, and 25 percent of them are too sleepy during the day. Difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep is often treated with sleeping pills. These drugs are called "hypnotic medications," and they often work well. Yet sleep disorders can also be treated by other safe and effective means.
Psychological Counseling
A 2004 study presented in Health Technology Assessment assessed whether a cognitive-behavioral therapy package would help people with insomnia sleep better. The treatment package included sleep hygiene, sleep restriction, progressive relaxation, cognitive treatment and ongoing review. The main goals were to enhance sleep quality and reduce drug intake. The package was successful in attaining these goals across a broad range of demographic variables. Positive effects were obtained immediately, and they were still evident a year later.
Physical Activity
The Journal of Adolescent Health published results in 2010 of an investigation that determined the role physical activity plays in sleep quality. The sleep of teens who spent 18 hours a week exercising was compared to that of teens who spent 5 hours a week exercising. Sleep and mood diaries indicated that greater activity was associated with more sleep and better health. These teens also felt more rested in the daytime and experienced less depression and anxiety. In contrast, lower activity placed the teens at risk for poor sleep and mood.
Light Therapy
A 2005 experiment offered in the journal Sleep tested the effects of phototherapy on insomnia. People who had difficulty staying asleep and thus often awoke early were exposed to two evenings of unusually bright light. Light treatment improved objective and subjective measures of sleep quality. It also enhanced the subjects' ability to perform during the daytime hours. These positive effects lasted for up to a month. Because the light therapy changed the patients' body rhythms, the effects may be mediated by changes in their internal time structure. The evening light pushed their biorhythms later, making it easier for them to stay asleep.
Hypnotic Foods
A report published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2010 evaluated the hypnotic potential of a common beverage. Many cultures have traditional remedies for sleep problems. Most of these tonics have not been scientifically tested, yet that oversight is gradually changing. Cherry juice allegedly helps people with insomnia sleep. Two weeks of drinking a tart cherry juice blend enhanced the sleep of older adults relative to placebo. The patients spent less time awake after falling asleep during the treatment weeks. While the effects were small, the results suggest that common foods may provide a safe and effective treatment for insomnia.
References
- Medical Clinics of North America; Insomnia Pharmacology; S. S. Sullivan; May 2010
- Health Technology Assessment; Psychological Treatment for Insomnia in the Regulation of Long-Term Hypnotic Drug Use; K. Morgan et al.; February 2004
- Journal of Adolescent Health; High Exercise Levels are Related to Favorable Sleep Patterns and Psychological Functioning in Adolescents: A Comparison of Athletes and Controls; S. Brand et al.; February 2010
- Sleep; The treatment of early-morning awakening insomnia with 2 evenings of bright light. L. Lack et al; May 1, 2005
- Journal of Medicinal Food; Effects of a Tart Cherry Juice Beverage on the Sleep of Older Adults with Insomnia: A Pilot Study; W. R. Pigeon et al.; May 3, 2010
