Insomnia Treatment

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Instead of Sleeping Pills as an Insomnia Treatment

Obtaining the crucial sleep that is needed for insomnia sufferers is the goal of insomnia treatment. And, until recently, non-drug related, effective and safe treatments, were few and far between.

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or getting what is considered restful sleep are all considered symptoms of insomnia, a rather widespread condition that affects many people. If you are an insomnia sufferer then you have in all likelihood taken sleeping pills in the hopes of getting a good night sleep.

Recently there have been sleep studies and research done on how people’s attitudes about sleep behavior may be the underlying cause of insomnia. A change in both the attitude and behavior of individuals as an insomnia treatment may result in obtaining that elusive good nights sleep.

Why is getting a good night’s sleep so important?

When an individual becomes sleep deprived they tend to make more mistakes on the job, they feel groggy and listless the next day and may develop both memory and learning problems. They are more likely to have high blood pressure, develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease and may become prone to infections.

Natural, restful sleep is absolutely essential in order to maintain both mental and physical well being. It provides the REM sleep needed for dreaming that helps to sustain memory and learning as well as keeping mood and temperament on an even keel.

Sleeping pills can cause problems.

Sleeping pills used during times of pain or even grief may be beneficial when someone is sleep deprived. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has also approved several different hypnotic drugs, or sedatives, for indeterminate use.

Sedatives and sleeping pills can be habit forming and should not be taken for more than a few days or so, although some people take them for longer periods of time. Some may even increase the dosage on their own because they start becoming less effective and take longer to start working. You should keep in mind that using sleeping pills as an insomnia treatment can:

Have adverse reactions or even lethal results if taken with alcohol or other medications.
Hide the real reason for the insomnia, which may be heart trouble, depression, disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and may delay necessary treatment for these problems.
It can lead to dizziness, confusion, high blood pressure, nausea and any number of other conditions.
Start to have serious sleep disorders that go far beyond sleepwalking; including “sleep driving” and “sleep binge eating” that the individual does not remember.
Cause an excessive amount of grogginess the next day or even an inability to sleep that is worse than the original problem, also known as rebound insomnia.

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