Chronic Insomnia Treated Online

A new study shows that online treatment for chronic insomnia has a good success rate. The sleep study, published in the June 1 issue of SLEEP, used a five-week online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program.

The results revealed a significant improvement in insomnia severity, daytime fatigue and sleep quality. The lead researcher, Norah Vincent, PhD, is a psychologist at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. She said, “The cognitive therapy section was designed to help individuals to develop realistic expectations about sleep and the impact of sleep on next-day functioning while teaching a variety of strategies for coping with an overactive mind and worries.”

Specific study results:
• 81% of treated participants reported at least mild improvement in their sleep
• 35% rated themselves as much or very much improved
• 30% of those who completed the program gained an extra hour of sleep
• Many participants who received treatment developed healthier attitudes about sleep and were less likely to have an overactive mind at bedtime

The CBT program included audiovisual clips, downloadable mp3 files for relaxation training and PDF files for psychoeducation and cognitive therapy. The researchers indicated that CBT has been used to successfully treat insomnia sufferers ages 18 through 80. They believe that CBT may even be useful for teens.

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