People who suffer from   chronic sleeping disorders, often find it very difficult to get help . The most commonlyand widely spread chronic insomnia treatment is still sleeping pills, in spite of their well documented known side effects.

Many sufferers also try “medicating” using alcohol – the night cap so symbolic in movies actually has damaging effects especially if you drink close to bedtime .

Many of the OTC remedies , for example antihistamines and antidepressants , do work short term, but are not effective as a long term medication .

In 2005 the National Institutes of Health in the US commissioned a “State of the Science” Panel, which was
tasked with analysing and the summing up of what works and what does not work regarding chronic insomnia treatment.

The consensus was that there should be more use  of “Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies”.

What does that imply for you, as someone who has trouble sleeping ?

Simply put , learn techniques and methods that allows you to relax – that’s the “Behavioral Therapy”, and combine that with “cognitive therapies specifically targeted at anxiety-producing beliefs and erroneous beliefs about sleep and sleep loss”.

This is not difficult , but as always it requires a bit of work to succeed. It is far easier and quicker to take a pill, or have a stiff drink!  The sad fact is , in the long run these “quick fixes” will only serve to make the problem worse .

First step is “How To Relax?”

You can find many different ways and techniques that will help you relax, from acupuncture  to yoga . It actually doesn’t really matter what technique (or techniques) you decide on, as long as you learn it, practice it and it works for you. One little known but surprisingly effective method is to use an acupressure mat, another is to improve your deep breathing.

“Cognitive” therapy focuses on the fact that maybe 70-80% of sleep problems are are caused by what goes on in your mind . Anxiety and worry are two main culprits here.

Cognitive Therapists aim to make you, as someone who’s looking for ways to cure insomnia, focus on what your thoughts are when you are thinking about sleep. And, in particular, what is going through your mind when you are about to go to bed.

When you become aware you then tell yourself that your thoughts actually are just “thoughts” – they are not reality!

There is no need to become upset, or start to worry, and this simple disassociation between thoughts and emotions will make it a lot easier to relax your mind and go to sleep. Particularly effective as chronic insomnia treatment, this method will step by step turn a vicious circle into a beneficial one!

Millions of Americans toss and turn at night, unable to get a good night’s refreshing sleep, suffering from insomnia. Some can’t get to sleep, some keep waking up in the middle of the night and others consistently wake up early in the morning. If you are one of the unfortunate ones, you probably suffer from the mixture of all of the above.

Insomnia can — and often does — lead to more than just some minor crankiness in the morning following a poor night’s sleep. Poor sleep can affect your overall health. In fact the American Cancer Society surveyed more than one million American’s and found that those of us who sleep fewer than six hours a night had higher mortality rates than those who got a full seven hours of blissful slumber. (Interestingly, the survey also found that those who regularly got more than eight hours of sleep also had higher mortality rates; if you sleep more than 8.5 hours a night, your mortality rate rises by 15 percent.)

It may give you some small comfort, but you’re not alone as you toss and turn: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2007 reported that about 64 million Americans experience insomnia each year.

Each of us has some insomnia some of the time. We all have days (nights) where worries, stress and/or illness of us or those we love keep us awake at night.

Real trouble arises when you have what is known as chronic insomnia. This is the kind of insomnia that lasts for more than six months, possibly even for years. Chronic insomnia can be caused by variety of psychiatric or medical illnesses. In women in particular hormonal shifts can cause drastic sleep disturbances. But sometimes chronic insomnia comes about of its own accord.

If you suffer from insomnia, your first line of defense is to ensure that the place you sleep is cool, dark and quiet. Use this space — usually your bedroom — for sleeping and sex only. Don’t watch television or read in bed. Avoid caffeine for several hours before bedtime. Try not to get stressed in the two hours before bedtime. While exercise overall can help you get a good night’s sleep, exercise as late as two or three hours before bedtime actually can make it difficult to fall asleep.

If you still have trouble falling or staying asleep, a visit with your health care provider is in order. I urge you to forgo taking over-the-counter sleep aids until you’ve met with your physician. He or she may recommend over-the-counter sleep aids such as the supplement melatonin, over the counter antihistamines or a prescription medication such as one of the many available benzodiazepines or other hypnotic agents such as Ambien or Lunesta. Precautions should be taken with sleep aids as some have been known to cause unwanted side effects such as nighttime eating and/or sleep walking. In addition, prescription sleep aids are not to be used for long periods of time.

As a psychiatrist, I often see insomnia that is as a result of mood, anxiety or substance use disorder.  Once the underlying illness is treated, then sleep would improve drastically also. So if you are having trouble sleeping despite having good sleep hygiene, then it might be time to discuss this with your physician as there are treatments available but you have to be willing to ask for it.

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Dr. Arshia Alec Shirzadi is a Harvard Medical School educated; board certified adult psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychopharmacologist. His vast clinical and research expertise also includes substance abuse, addictions and co-occurring disorders. Dr. Shirzadi is presently in private practice in Newport Beach, CA. For more information please visit http://www.dralec.com