The article highlights the commonness of insomnia and recommends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) over medication. It notes that experiencing insomnia symptoms at least three times a week for over three months may indicate chronic insomnia, which can contribute to health problems and increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. This emphasizes the importance of promptly addressing sleep issues, particularly through evidence-based approaches like CBT-i, to mitigate associated health risks.

What is insomnia?

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep at least three times a week for over three months.
• Contributes to health problems and increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

Why do people turn to medication?

• The desire for quick fixes.
• Skepticism towards therapy's efficacy.
• Loss of faith in the body's ability to achieve natural sleep.

Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)?

• A well-studied and proven treatment.
• Typically effective in eight sessions or less.
• Offers long-term solutions over medication.

Why is it significant?

• Insomnia affects a significant portion of the population and has serious health implications.
• Opting for CBT-i can lead to better outcomes compared to medication alone.
• Seeking evidence-based treatments like CBT-i is crucial for addressing sleep issues effectively.

Why it matters:

Recognizing the prevalence of insomnia and the effectiveness of CBT-i is crucial for effectively addressing sleep issues. This article from the New York Times underscores the importance of credible sources in informing decisions about sleep therapy. This clarity allows readers to understand the significance of the article's content and the importance of seeking evidence-based treatments for insomnia. Insomnia is a serious issue impacting both physical and mental health. Choosing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) over medication offers lasting solutions and improves overall well-being.

About one in four adults in the United States develops symptoms of insomnia each year. In most cases, these are short-lived, caused by things like stress or illness. But one in 10 adults is estimated to have chronic insomnia, which means difficulty falling or staying asleep at least three times a week for three months or longer.

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just create physical health problems, it can also harm our minds. A recent poll from the National Sleep Foundation, for example, found a link between poor sleep health and depressive symptoms. In addition, studies have shown that a lack of sleep can lead otherwise healthy people to experience anxiety and distress. Fortunately, there is a well-studied and proven treatment for insomnia that generally works in eight sessions or less: cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or C.B.T.-I.

If you cannot find a provider, C.B.T.-I. instruction is easy to access online. Yet it is rarely the first thing people try, said Aric Prather, a sleep researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who treats patients with insomnia.

Instead, they often turn to medication. According to a 2020 survey from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 8 percent of adults reported taking sleep medication every day or most days to help them fall or stay asleep.

Studies have found that C.B.T.-I. is as effective as using sleep medications in the short term and more effective in the long term. Clinical trial data suggests that as many as 80 percent of the people who try C.B.T.-I. see improvements in their sleep and most patients find relief in four to eight sessions, even if they have had insomnia for decades, said Philip Gehrman, the director of the Sleep, Neurobiology and Psychopathology lab at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sleep aids can carry risks, especially for older people, who may experience problems like falls, memory issues or confusion as a result of using the medication. C.B.T.-I., on the other hand, is considered safe for adults of any age. It can even be adapted for use in children.