Insomnia is the condition where an individual has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia often starts as psychological or behavioral problem, which then causes physical arousal (in other words, wide awake and can’t sleep). This condition is often associated with tremendous anxiety about not sleeping, which only acts to worsen the problem. It is remarkably common, with up to 30% of individuals having frequent difficulties at night with sleep and between 10-15% of individuals with chronic problems. Insomnia is often associated with depression and anxiety, but by no means do you have to have these diagnoses to suffer from insomnia. Certain medications may be effective in helping insomnia on a short term basis, but for long term relief to alleviate the need for medications, cognitive behavioral therapy combined with specific other techniques have proven to be the longest lasting cures.

The Sleep Disorders Center of CDS has a unique insomnia workshop for individuals suffering from chronic insomnia and would like to stop using medications to help them sleep. Contact the Sleep Disorders Center of CDS for more information. For more information on insomnia, go to www.css.to/sleep/insomnia.pdf, the National Sleep Foundation’s website at www.sleepfoundation.org, or go to www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.