About a third of the adult population is bothered by insomnia at least occasionally, reported Jack D. Edinger, PhD, of the Durham VA Medical Center. Individuals who are unable to get a minimum amount of uninterrupted sleep, a little more than six hours, run the risk of functioning without optimum alertness during the day. People with PPI are at a significantly higher risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. They are also at greater risk of incurring fatigue-related injuries, such as worksite and traffic accidents. They not only harbor many uncertainties regarding possible adverse effects, but their effectiveness is short-lived, limited largely to the duration of the medication.
Patients commonly experience a full return of their insomnia once they stop taking the drugs.
CBT appears to be a promising, more universally effective treatment with a better long-term outcome. The cognitive aspect strives to correct the misconceptions people have about their own sleep needs and habits. Most of the common misperceptions are addressed right away through a prepared information packet provided to patients. Any unique cognitive problems are addressed individually. The behavioral aspect of the treatment addresses disruptive habits that can aggravate or even perpetuate PPI, such as failing to relax mentally at bedtime, permitting distractions such as reading or television, and even spending too much time in bed.