Have you ever had the experience of trying to fall asleep, but you couldn’t stop staring at the ceiling? And your eyes glaze over in exhausted astonished distress as the same thing has been happening night after night. If so, you're not alone. These are symptoms of insomnia. I've experienced insomnia during times where sleep would have been very helpful. Sleeplessness was not a welcome guest when I was very stressed from school, work and other major life events.
The worst part of my insomnia was the seemingly never-ending cycle of exhaustion and trying to make up for the sleep that I never got the night before. Lack of sleep can made every task more difficult as my energy levels were akin to a battery on fumes. Despite how it severely impacts someone's quality of life, chronic insomnia is a condition that few people acknowledge, so most attempt to address it on their own without asking for help (Harvey, et al., 2014). General symptoms can include being unable to function at your regular energy level during the day, as well as negative effects on mental health. If one already has been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder (GAD) (Bélanger et al., 2004), they are much more likely to also experience insomnia on a regular basis. Insomnia is often diagnosed as symptom of other conditions as opposed to it being diagnosed on its own (Harvey, et al., 2014).
When “Help” is Unhelpful
The complexity of insomnia is worsened by advice from well-meaning friends and family, consisting of information on sleep hygiene and herbal teas from articles all over the internet. However, a study found that sleep hygiene is not as effective as other methods to address insomnia, unless combined with another treatment such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (Riemann, 2018). Studies say that the most effective way to address insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (Bélanger et al., 2004; Harvey, et al., 2014; Ong et al.,2008).
What Type of Treatments are Effective in Treating Insomnia?
One study has shown that focusing on mindfulness to alleviate stress can be helpful in reducing repetitive thoughts (Ong et al., 2008). If you are prone to going through multiple wakeful nights where you just cannot stop thinking, especially if its circling the same problem repeatedly, mindfulness can be an incredible tool for you. Combining meditation with mindfulness techniques can allow you to focus and ground in the present (Ong et al., 2008). One example is Progressive Muscle Relaxation, which involves sequentially holding tension in different muscle groups as you inhale, then relax as you exhale (Ong et al., 2008). This method can stop intruding thoughts while soothing anxiety and alertness.
Another effective method that has been shown to be effective in treating insomnia is behaviour therapy which is a part of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (Riemann, 2018). CBT has been proven as a very reliable method for treating insomnia in post secondary students (Riemann, 2018). In patients with general anxiety disorder (GAD), a study had shown that CBT had eliminated most symptoms of moderate insomnia (Bélanger et al., 2004).
In conclusion, a combination of practicing good sleep hygiene, mindfulness and speaking to a therapist who specializes in CBT is an effective way to address insomnia. If you are experiencing insomnia, please don’t wait to get the treatment you need. You deserve to sleep peacefully and be energized throughout the day.
References
Bélanger, L., Morin, C. M., Langlois, F., & Ladouceur, R. (2004). Insomnia and generalized anxiety disorder: Effects of cognitive behavior therapy for gad on insomnia symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 18(4), 561–571. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0887-6185(03)00031-8
Harvey, A. G., Bélanger, L., Talbot, L., Eidelman, P., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Fortier-Brochu, É., Ivers, H., Lamy, M., Hein, K., Soehner, A. M., Mérette, C., & Morin, C. M. (2014). Comparative Efficacy of Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Chronic Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(4), 670–683. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036606
Ong, J. C., Shapiro, S. L., & Manber, R. (2008). Combining Mindfulness Meditation with Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Insomnia: A Treatment-Development Study. Behavior Therapy, 39(2), 171–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2007.07.002
Riemann, D. (2018). Sleep hygeine, insomnia and mental health. Journal of Sleep Research, 27(1), 3–3. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12661