Are you waking up in the middle of the night or having trouble falling asleep – virtually every night – perhaps for months or years? It may surprise you that insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the United States, with the condition impacting as much as 30 percent of the adult population.
Insomnia is literally sleep deprivation, a strong but accurate way of understanding the seriousness of the condition.
When the condition is chronic, as it is for many people, it can impact health in very negative ways including a shortened lifespan, an increased risk of early dementia, decreased immunity, and an increased likelihood of contracting an infectious disease. It may even increase the odds of developing specific forms of cancer. Insomnia also manifests in daily living experiences, with low energy and irritability at the top of the list.
It’s important that patients and providers look for the root cause of the condition. Causes can be quite varied, but pulmonary, metabolic, and mental health concerns are often at the root of the condition. Effects of insomnia in the long term can be devastating on an individual’s health which is why, if you are experiencing insomnia, I strongly encourage an evaluation by a sleep professional, such as the specialists at Valley’s Center for Sleep Medicine.
A key point of differentiation for Valley’s program is its use of CBT-i or cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. This treatment starts with a very detailed evaluation followed by specific recommendations which then improve the ability to sleep by taking advantage of underlying biologic mechanisms and processes. Most commonly, our intuitive response to insomnia leads to behaviors that paradoxically make it worse which perpetuates the pattern. Evidence shows that CBT-i directly addresses this negative cycle to begin to fix the root causes of insomnia.
From my perspective, CBT-i should be the first treatment provided due to its efficacy, absence of side effects, and long-term beneficial results. Insomnia often develops from repeated patterns of behavior or thought, and CBT-i can interrupt these routines leading to more prolonged and improved sleep.
CBT-i is under used, not because it doesn’t perform well, but because of the time it takes to effectively dismantle insomnia at its root. I am proud to say that the doctors in our Center, myself included, have experience and capability and have demonstrated results with CBT-i.
For more information on Valley’s treatments for insomnia and other sleep conditions, please call the Center for Sleep Medicine at 201-251-3487 or go to ValleyHealth.com/Sleep. To contact Dr. Dixon directly, please call 201-689-3669.
About the Author
Dr. Keith Dixon is a sleep medicine specialist with Valley Medical Group.
