Harold Rubin An article in The Journal of the American Medical Association issued this week discusses the merits of cognitive behavior therapy in dealing with insomnia in older adults Dr. Charles Morin, professor of psychology at Laval University in Quebec concludes that in combination with sleeping medication effective treatment can ensue. Sleep is an activity that human beings engage in for about one-third of their lives. Recent data suggests that 70 million Americans may suffer from either chronic sleep disorder or intermittent sleep deprivation .
Sleep is an active state with many different components in a neurological sense.
NREM sleep lasts from 60 to 100 minutes followed by 10-40 minutes of REM sleep and the cycle is continuous throughout the night. Typically about 80 percent of adults sleep time is spent in NREM sleep and 20 percent in REM sleep. REM sleep tends to increase during the second half of the night. The amount of REM sleep appears to determine the amount of rest. When REM sleep is interrupted, tiredness tends to develop .