Talk Yourself to Sleep

Using talk therapy to help insomniacs fall asleep produced better results than commonly used sleep medications, according to a new study released this week. In a Canadian study of 160 chronic adult insomniacs, researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada compared talk therapy to the popular sleep aid zolpidem, which is sold both generically and under the brand name Ambien. Because long-term use of sleep medication carries the risk of dependency, researchers are searching for drug-free alternatives to help chronic insomniacs fall asleep and sleep longer.

Insomnia is a common sleep problem that can lead to depression and high blood pressure. Medications like Ambien are frequently prescribed to help people sleep, although they are generally recommended only for short-term use. Common side effects of zolpidem and Ambien can include morning drowsiness, hallucinations, sleepwalking, sleep driving, binge eating, talking during sleep, and drug dependence.

During the initial six weeks of the trial, weekly group therapy sessions and nightly medication achieved similar results, improving both the ability t0 sleep and the length of sleep periods for about 60% of study participants. However, during the six-month follow-up period, study participants who attended refresher talk therapy sessions slept better and longer than those who took drugs. Participants were instructed to only sleep in bed and to avoid reading, watching TV or worrying when they went to bed. They were also encouraged to get up at the same time every morning and to go to bed at the same time every night. If they were unable to fall asleep within 20 minutes, they were instructed to get up and return to bed only when they became sleepy again.

“The best long-term outcome was obtained with patients treated with combined therapy initially, followed by [talk therapy] alone,” wrote study researcher Charles Morin. “Although the present findings are promising, there is currently no treatment that works for every patient with insomnia.”

The study found that bimonthly individual therapy sessions provided the most effective talk therapy. Study participants who were able to discuss with a therapist the personal issues that were causing them to lose sleep were able to break the cycle of chronic insomnia and achieve the most productive and longest sleep.