Insomnia causing sleepless nights, daytime fatigue, and poor health outcomes is a cycle worth busting, experts say, with depression, anxiety, and stress a common co-occurrence.
In a new study, researchers found that a program of targeted cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) helps relieve insomnia.
It also has a positive effect on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
The research was conducted by a team at Flinders University in Australia.
The team examined more than 450 insomnia patients.
They tested the impact of depression, anxiety, and stress on response to CBTi, in 455 ‘real world’ insomnia patients, from pre-treatment to three-month follow-up.
They found that insomnia symptoms were improved by a similar amount between patients with and without symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
In addition, the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress show moderate-to-large improvement following CBTi.
The team says CBT for insomnia (CBTi) is recommended as the most effective and first-line treatment of insomnia.
With COVID-19 and many other stressors in life, treating the worst effects of insomnia may have a transformative effect on a person’s wellbeing, mental health, and lifestyle.
The sleep research team is also rolling out the evidence-backed insomnia CBT program for general practitioners to support people with their sleep problems and avoid the use of sedative-hypnotic medication over time.
One author of the study is Dr. Alexander Sweetman from Flinders University’s sleep research clinic.
The study is published in Sleep Medicine.
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