Cognitive behavioral therapy may help insomniacs with depression

ANI

Sunday, January 31, 2010 20:53

Washington DC: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) could be a remedy for insomniacs with depression, according to a Ryerson University professor.

Insomnia can lead to intense personal suffering. But combine insomnia with anxiety, depression and chronic pain, sleeplessness can become even more troubling.

Dr Colleen Carney, assistant professor of psychology, and director of Ryerson's Sleep and Mood Disorder Program, said: "When you have another disorder, you face unique barriers that other people do not. For example, a conventional insomnia strategy involves getting out of bed at the same time every day. But someone with depression may wonder, "what if I have nothing to get out of bed for?"

Carney's latest book is Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those With Depression, Anxiety or Chronic Pain.

The only self-help book that focuses on people with insomnia combined with other health conditions, Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep was co-authored by Dr Rachel Manber of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep suggests many cognitive behavioral solutions to insomnia. Some of the tips in the book include:

* Never get into bed earlier than your usual bedtime. * When you catch yourself "trying" to sleep, remind yourself that this is counterproductive. * Learn about sleep myths, such as "I absolutely require eight hours of sleep to function during the day."