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How do I Treat Insomnia?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

There are a number of approaches to the treatment of insomnia. Treating insomnia can be complicated, depending on the cause, and it may require a period of cooperation with a doctor to determine the treatment method which is most appropriate for the patient. Someone who wants to treat insomnia should work with a physician who has experience in treating insomnia for the best results.

In order to treat insomnia, it is necessary to know what is causing the insomnia. It may help to perform a sleep study, in which a patient is monitored overnight in a lab facility. Sleep studies can reveal underlying medical problems which may be causing insomnia, and they can highlight variations in sleep patterns which may be partially responsible for insomnia. A detailed patient interview can also help to uncover the cause of sleeplessness, as a patient may discuss sources of stress which are preventing sleep, mental illnesses linked to insomnia, or bad habits which are contributing to insomnia.

Hops, which can help with insomnia.
Hops, which can help with insomnia.

One of the most commonly used methods to treat insomnia is improvements in sleep hygiene. Reserving the bedroom for sleeping, going to bed at the same time every evening, keeping the bedroom slightly cooler than the rest of the house, providing noise insulation in the bedroom, and avoiding heavy meals before bed are all examples of good sleep hygiene which can help people get to sleep more easily. If these behavioral changes are not effective, or not relevant to the patient's situation, other methods to treat insomnia can be attempted.

Watching TV before going to bed can contribute to insomnia.
Watching TV before going to bed can contribute to insomnia.

Sleep aids, whether prescription, over the counter, or natural, may be recommended in the short term to help a patient get to sleep, but they are usually not recommended in the long term. Some are habit forming, and using sleep aids also fails to address the root cause of the insomnia. Over time, the patient may grow tolerant of the drugs, and experience a recurrence of the insomnia which could tempt the patient into increasing the dosage, which can be dangerous.

There are a number of ways to treat insomnia, ranging from dietary changes to medication.
There are a number of ways to treat insomnia, ranging from dietary changes to medication.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of insomnia, as have some other types of psychotherapy, along with meditation. Some researchers suggest that insomnia can be caused by a chronic state of stimulation which is a problem during waking and sleeping hours, and that meditation to force the body to slow down may be beneficial for some patients.

Stress can cause insomnia.
Stress can cause insomnia.

It can take some experimentation with different treatment methods to find a technique which suits a patient. For example, one person might be able to treat insomnia with sleep hygiene alone, while another might find that insomnia is actually caused by sleep apnea, which requires medical treatment.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

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    • Hops, which can help with insomnia.
      By: Coprid
      Hops, which can help with insomnia.
    • Watching TV before going to bed can contribute to insomnia.
      By: Fenton
      Watching TV before going to bed can contribute to insomnia.
    • There are a number of ways to treat insomnia, ranging from dietary changes to medication.
      By: Sandor Kacso
      There are a number of ways to treat insomnia, ranging from dietary changes to medication.
    • Stress can cause insomnia.
      By: Dan Race
      Stress can cause insomnia.
    • Good sleep hygiene might help treat insomnia.
      By: Karramba Production
      Good sleep hygiene might help treat insomnia.
    • A cup of warm chamomile tea before bed can be soothing and induce sleep.
      By: Printemps
      A cup of warm chamomile tea before bed can be soothing and induce sleep.
    • Avoiding coffee and other caffeinated products may help insomnia.
      By: volff
      Avoiding coffee and other caffeinated products may help insomnia.
    • Medical sleep aids may be used to treat insomnia.
      By: Anna Khomulo
      Medical sleep aids may be used to treat insomnia.
    • Forcing the body to slow down with meditation can be one way to treat insomnia.
      By: kovaricekpavel
      Forcing the body to slow down with meditation can be one way to treat insomnia.
    • Prescription sleep aids can be a short-term treatment for insomnia.
      By: Diana Valujeva
      Prescription sleep aids can be a short-term treatment for insomnia.
    • It's important to identify whether insomnia has a physical or emotional cause before a proper treatment plan can be devised.
      By: Innovated Captures
      It's important to identify whether insomnia has a physical or emotional cause before a proper treatment plan can be devised.