"If I fall asleep right now, I could get five hours of sleep tonight..."

Do thoughts like this cross your mind at night? Are you counting down the hours hoping sleep will come, but it doesn't? Learning to "reframe" thoughts has proven to be an effective strategy for many people with insomnia. Now a new study shows that people may be able to treat their insomnia with cognitive therapy based on online programs.

Insomnia affects approximately one-third of adults. Treatment may be more widely available soon, thanks to a recent study of insomnia treatments conducted by Lee M. Ritterband, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

The study focused on the effectiveness of an Internet invention program, called SHUTi, on 44 adults who had a history of sleep difficulties. This interactive nine-week program guides individuals through a series of behavioral, educational and cognitive techniques using text, graphics, animations, vignettes, quizzes and games.

Results of this study show a 73 percent success rate of "no severity of insomnia" among individuals who had suffered from moderate insomnia for over 10 years. Furthermore, all patients maintained their sleep improvements six months after the study's completion.

The cognitive behavioral therapy utilized in this program is a psychological treatment that is used to identify disruptive behaviors and thoughts that may inhibit sleep. Cognitive behavioral therapy is recognized as one of the most effective treatments for insomnia.

"The reason these results are so encouraging is that they suggest that some people can improve their sleep through self-help methods," says co-investigator of the study, Frances P. Thorndike, Ph.D., who is an assistant professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Study participants were also encouraged to practice good sleep habits, such as: 

1. Avoid reading and watching television in the bedroom
2. Avoid eating or drinking too close to bedtime
   
3. Stop daytime napping

"In sum, this is empowering for the many adults who struggle with insomnia but want to avoid using medication and increasingly important as we face challenges meeting the demand for non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia," Thorndike says.


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