Behavioral approach to insomnia treatment

Lifestyle changes, such as decreasing caffeine and alcohol intake, adjusting exercise, regulating not only diet but the amount and time we eat (contrary to conventional wisdom, heavy meals actually keep us awake), and stopping smoking can all contribute to more regular sleep patterns. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can make it difficult to sleep, and nicotine also may cause nightmares. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings.

Good sleep hygiene, avoiding stimulants late in the day, behavioral therapy techniques for sleep, by decreasing the activity of the arousal systems in the brain producing wakefulness, have been shown in some instances to be effective in treating insomnia.

However, if this treatment is not satisfactory, a pharmacological approach may be recommended, especially when more relief is needed, or to break the cycle of chronic sleeplessness.