ad info

CNNin
 MAIN PAGE
 WORLD
 ASIANOW
 U.S.
 LOCAL
 POLITICS
 WEATHER
 BUSINESS
 SPORTS
 TECHNOLOGY
 NATURE
 ENTERTAINMENT
 BOOKS
 TRAVEL
 FOOD
 HEALTH
 AIDS
 Alternative
 Cancer
 Diet & Fitness
 Heart
 Men
 Seniors
 Women
 STYLE
 IN-DEPTH

 custom news
 Headline News brief
 daily almanac
 CNN networks
 CNN programs
 on-air transcripts
 news quiz

  CNN WEB SITES:
CNN Websites
 TIME INC. SITES:
 MORE SERVICES:
 video on demand
 video archive
 audio on demand
 news email services
 free email accounts
 desktop headlines
 pointcast
 pagenet

 DISCUSSION:
 message boards
 chat
 feedback

 SITE GUIDES:
 help
 contents
 search

 FASTER ACCESS:
 europe
 japan

 WEB SERVICES:
Health

Therapy may be the answer to catching a few zzz's

graphic
 MESSAGE BOARD:
Have you ever suffered from a sleep disorder?

March 16, 1999
Web posted at: 5:06 p.m. EST (2206 GMT)

From Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen

ATLANTA (CNN) --- A new study published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that getting advice from a sleep counselor was more effective long-term in battling late-life insomnia than taking sleeping pills.

As many as 12 to 25 percent of healthy seniors complain of insomnia. They are able to fall asleep, but can't stay asleep, and wake up repeatedly during the night.

The two-year study, being released in the March 17 issue of JAMA, followed 78 insomniacs with an average age of 65.

For eight weeks some of the patients took part in weekly group therapy sessions and received advice on how to sleep better. Another group took a sleeping pill called temazepam. A third group received both the therapy and pills. A fourth, and final group, received no treatment at all.

Study participants filled out sleep diaries for 24 months. Assessments were made: prior to the start of treatment; in post-treatment; at 3 months; at 12 months; and at 24 months.

In the end, those who received just therapy had the most sustained improvements in their sleep. They spent just 33 minutes awake during the night, while those who had taken the drugs spent 50 minutes awake.

The researchers think the findings are applicable to younger people who have trouble staying asleep.

In therapy, patients were taught several ways to sleep better including:

  • Going to bed only when tired.

  • Not reading or watching TV in bed.

  • If awake for more than 20 minutes, getting out of bed and going to another room.

  • Getting up at the same time each day.

The eight weeks of sleeping pills did help people, but long-term use of the drug is often not advised and once people stopped taking it, the problems with insomnia returned.

According to James Kiley of the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research: "The hypnotic agents that are generally prescribed for insomnia do have some habit forming properties to them. They may have some residual effects that are things you want to try to avoid."

More and more doctors are specializing in sleep disorders as insomnia becomes recognized as a serious health problem, but finding therapy may not be easy.

"Those individuals that see their primary care physicians for a complaint of insomnia probably are not going to be given much in the way of behavioral therapy," Kiley said.


RELATED STORIES:
Pregnancy, hot flashes keep women awake, research says
October 22, 1998
Sleep clinics help the weary find relief
March 20, 1997
Lack of sleep America's top health problem, doctors say
March 17, 1997
CNN Health - Sleeping Conditions

RELATED SITES:
Journal of the American Medical Association
National Center On Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Sleep Disorders Information
The Sleep Medicine Home Page
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

LATEST HEALTH STORIES:
Affordable drug reduces mother-to-child HIV transmission, study says
A new risk factor for heart disease
The HMO debate: Who decides emergency care?
Tick-borne illness known to infect dogs found in humans
 LATEST HEADLINES:
SEARCH CNN.com
Enter keyword(s)   go    help

Back to the top   © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.