Behavioral Therapy Helps Cure Insomnia In Older Adults

All Headline News.com (USA): Researchers have found that older adults can respond to behavioral treatments for insomnia. An analysis of 23 studies found that as many as one-quarter of older Americans experience chronic insomnia which can cause fatigue and difficulty concentrating during the day. Other dangers from insomnia include risk of death from heart disease and devastating falling injuries, reports WebMD. Behavioral treatments can be used for a longer period of time than drugs. Additionally, the long-term safety of the newer sleep aids have not been extensively documented in older patients. "There has been a push, driven in part by the pharmaceutical industry, toward using drugs for the long-term management of insomnia, but the data to support the efficacy of this approach is very limited." Some of the behavioral treatments include: (1) Relaxation-based, (2) Behavior changes, such as sleep scheduling and sleep restriction therapy that limits sleep quantity in an effort to improve sleep quality and (3) Cognitive behavioral therapy, which examines lifestyle habits such as exercise and alcohol. The findings are published in the January 2006 issue of the journal Health Psychology.