Behavioral Treatment of Insomnia

Description of the Strategy

Insomnia involves difficulty falling asleep, problems staying asleep, waking up too early, or nonrestorative sleep, with associated impairment in functioning and fatigue. Insomnia may be situational or acute, follow an intermittent course, or be persistent. It can also be a symptom of another medical or psychological condition or represent a syndrome in itself, as in primary insomnia. Pharmacotherapy is a frequently used treatment option for insomnia. However, behavioral treatments are receiving increased attention, especially for chronic insomnia, because of their efficacy, safety, and patient acceptance.

Insomnia can be viewed as a multidimensional condition. Any given case is likely to involve some combination of predisposing factors (e.g., family history, female gender, older age, hyperarousal) and stressful life events (e.g., personal ...