Top 7 Evidence-Based Treatments for Insomnia

Insomnia is not only bothersome but can be equally dangerous for your mental and physical well-being if left untreated for a long time. This sleep disorder keeps you awake at night, leading to serious sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness, poor productivity, physical and mental health conditions and more. However, the good news is that insomnia, whether it is acute or chronic, can be cured with a proper treatment approach based on the cause of insomnia. According to AASM guidelines, the primary goal of insomnia can be differentiated into two sections. First, improving sleep quality and second, improving insomnia-related daytime impairments. Therefore, often treating underlying causes can help to treat insomnia significantly.

In this blog, we will explore the top 7 evidence-based treatments for insomnia, so without wasting any time further, keep reading!

7 Evidence-based insomnia treatment

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that disrupts a healthy sleep cycle and prevents one from falling and staying asleep easily. However, with time and research, health experts have been able to identify several useful and effective treatments for managing insomnia. Here are the top 7 evidence-based insomnia treatment options one can explore-

CBT-I

CBT-I stands for cognitive behavioural therapy-I. This is an evident method of treating insomnia. It is a widely prescribed and proven method for treating insomnia. Here are some more details on CBT-I for treating insomnia.

Sleep hygiene education
Sleep hygiene education aims at teaching patients healthy regular habits that are helpful for a better sleep cycle. These habits can include the elimination of behaviours and conditions that can disrupt a healthy sleep cycle for caffeine or alcohol intake, watching TV in bed and uncomfortable room temperatures. It also encourages behaviour such as going to bed at a certain time every day and using a comfortable mattress to improve sleep quality.

Stimulus control
Another common practice of CBT-I therapy is the stimulus control technique. This technique helps your brain to associate bed with sleepiness and not wakefulness. This technique includes going to bed only when one is sleepy, using the bed only for sleep and sexual activity, and avoiding reading, eating, working or watching TV in bed. Practitioners may also ask people to get up if they are unable to fall asleep within 15 minutes of lying down. It also discourages daytime napping.

Cognitive restructuring

Many patients experience stress at the thought of falling asleep. In cognitive restructuring, an insomnia patient learns to correct their misconception about sleep and practice control to reduce any obsessive thinking that can lead to stress or anxiety. Cognitive restructuring helps obtain adequate sleep by reducing thoughts that can disrupt healthy sleep cycles.

Relaxation techniques

Relaxation therapy includes a number of techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and others. This also includes biofeedback techniques that can help patients control their body functions based on metrics such as heart rate, blood pressure etc. The biofeedback technique effectively improves sleep patterns.

Sleep restriction therapy

Sleep restriction is also an important part of CBT-I therapy for the treatment of insomnia. Sleep restriction is often used with sleep compression techniques to improve the overall sleep quality of an insomnia patient. This technique refrains one from lying in bed awake. It curtails the time one spends lying in bed awake and not sleeping.

Sleep Medications

Insomnia patients who experience severe symptoms that cannot be treated with cognitive behavioural therapy or lifestyle intervention might be prescribed sleep medicines by healthcare experts. There are various sleep aid medicines that can help one manage the symptoms of insomnia:

• Z-drugs ( Zopiclone, Eszopiclone, Zolpediam)- Zopiclone is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic that helps people with insomnia. It helps to fall asleep easily and stay asleep throughout the night. The medicine is usually prescribed for short-term treatment of insomnia.
  Zolpidem is another non-benzodiazepine that is widely used for insomnia treatment. The medicine improves sleep quality and total sleep time and reduces frequent night awakenings.
  
  Eszopiclone is also a popular prescription-only medication for treating insomnia. It is a non-benzodiazepine class hypnotic drug that is primarily used for treating insomnia or sleeplessness. It is useful for treating both short-term and long-term insomnia. It is a controlled medicine sold under the brand name Lunesta.
• Benzodiazepine (Alprazolam, Diazepam)- Alprazolam belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drug that is primarily used for treating anxiety disorders and panic disorder. Therefore, it is often prescribed to treat insomnia triggered by anxiety or panic disorder. Alprazolam is also a prescription-only, controlled medicine sold under the brand name Xanax.
  
  Diazepam is an anxiolytic benzodiazepine class drug that can be used to treat insomnia triggered by anxiety, recurring muscle spasms, seizures and other neurological disorders. These conditions are often interrupted by healthy sleeping patterns and cause sleeplessness or insomnia. Therefore, diazepam and other similar drug can help to treat insomnia triggered by anxiety-related or neurological conditions.
• Other sleep medications- Doxepin and other Anti-depressants are also prescribed for the management of the symptoms of insomnia. These medicines are not primarily used for insomnia. But it can improve overall sleep quality and time and manage depression-related sleep problems. Orexin receptor antagonists such as Suvorexant is a controlled drug that can be used for anxiety-related insomnia. Melatonin supplements, like the natural melatonin in our body, regulate and improve sleep quality. Melatonin supplements are over-the-counter sleep medicines and may not work in chronic insomnia. Melatonin supplements are clinically proven, tried and tested treatment medicine for treating insomnia.

Treating underlying causes

Insomnia can also be caused by chronic health conditions. This type of insomnia, also known as chronic insomnia, requires you to treat the underlying health condition to cure or manage insomnia or sleeplessness. Several underlying health conditions can trigger insomnia, including chronic pain, Anxiety and depression, Nocturia, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Diabetes, Restless Leg Syndrome, etc. These conditions usually impact your regular activities and disrupt healthy sleeping patterns.

Lifestyle interventions

Last but not least, Lifestyle interventions are also a tried and tested method for treating insomnia. Often, our mundane life and routine become the enemy of our sleep and lead to sleeplessness or insomnia. Sometimes, too much work pressure, lack of movement in regular life, unhealthy sleep patterns, and poor diet can contribute to sleeplessness or insomnia. Long-time research on insomnia patients has shown significant progress in the condition with positive lifestyle interventions. These lifestyle interventions or changes mostly include regular exercising, maintaining a strict sleep routine, and implementing dietary changes such as incorporating fresh foods, avoiding processed foods, caffeine, etc.

Conclusion

Insomnia or sleeplessness can be a serious sleep disorder that can lead to other physical and mental health conditions if left untreated. While acute (temporary) insomnia can go away on its own even if you do not seek medical attention, chronic insomnia requires you to treat the underlying cause of insomnia to overcome the symptoms of insomnia or sleeplessness. Above, we have explored the top 7 evidence-based treatments for treating insomnia such as cognitive behavioural therapy-I, medications (zopiclone, zolpediam, melatonin, etc), Lifestyle changes and more. However, you must remember that insomnia has different types and underlying causes. Knowing these details is essential to obtain a successful treatment plan. Because one treatment plan may work perfectly well for you it may not help someone else struggling with insomnia.