Insomnia (cont.)
How can stimulus control help with insomnia?
Stimulus control refers to techniques used to help with initiating sleep.
These techniques are used to induce an environment in the bedroom that promotes
sleep. Some simple steps include:
- Use the bed only for having sex and sleeping, not working, reading,
watching TV, eating, or other mentally stimulating activities.
- Go to bed only when you feel ready to sleep.
- Turn off the lights and all the noise in and around the bedroom.
- Get up at the same time every morning to avoid over-sleeping.
- If you do not fall asleep longer than 20 minutes after going to bed, get up
and try some relaxation techniques until you are ready to sleep again.
Relaxation techniques, which are also a part of non-medical therapy for
insomnia, involve sitting or lying comfortably and relaxing muscles of the body
in one area at time. This may be combined with deep, relaxed breathing to
promote further body relaxation.
What is sleep restriction?
Sleep restriction refers another non-medical behavioral therapy for insomnia
which involves limiting the time spent in bed for sleeping only. Many people
with insomnia may stay in bed for a long time after they wake up in the morning.
This over-sleeping may disrupt the circadian rhythm and make sleep initiation
more difficult the following night.
Sleep logs are used to record the actual time spent sleeping each night, and
the time spent in bed is gradually reduced to the exact time spent sleeping by
shortening the total time in bed. This method gradually reduces and eliminates
over-sleeping over a period of time. It also increases the drive to sleep and
makes sleep more efficient, as the time spent in bed approximates the duration
of sleep.
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