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Intermittent
insomnia, if treated at all, usually responds to short acting
sleeping pill treatment. Chronic insomnia treatment involves first
diagnosing and treating any underlying psychological disturbances.
The identification and cessation of any behaviors that may worsen the
condition will also be explored. Sleeping pills may be used, although
these are controversial as far as treatment for chronic insomnia is
concerned. Behavioral techniques such as relaxation therapy, sleep
restriction therapy and reconditioning may also be options for the
treatment of chronic insomnia.
Behavioral Techniques:
Unlike many medications, behavioral techniques do not carry with them
the risk of side effects. They involve the following:
Practice good sleep hygiene;
analyze your life-style habits and replace those habits that make it
difficult to get to sleep with those that will promote sleep, such as
not drinking caffeine or alcohol prior to bed-time.
Keep a sleep diary
( in which you record what time you went to bed, how long you slept,
how rested you feel, how many times you woke up, what you did before
bedtime, what you ate and drank, etc) and use it to track your
progress.
Practice relaxation techniques
before retiring.
reading a book, taking a bath, playing solitaire or working a
crossword puzzle are good ways to slow down from activity of the day.
(Fogel J
(2003). Behavioral treatments for insomnia in primary care settings.
Topics in Advanced Practice Nursing e Journal).
Hypnotic Treatment:
Hypnotherapy involves firstly relaxing physically. You then learn to
relax mentally. Self hypnosis techniques can make this very easy.
Hypnosis can help you take control of your thoughts and train your
mind to relax at will. It can also teach you new and natural ways to
fall asleep. Hypnosis can also help to uncover any hidden fears or
anxieties that may be at the root of your insomnia. Listening to a
sleep tape containing hypnotic suggestions as you lie in bed is a
hypnotic method that has proven successful for many insomniacs.
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