Empirically Supported Treatments for Insomnia

Abstract

Insomnia is a distressing and prevalent health problem in the general adult population. Given both the side-effects and questionable efficacy of pharmacological treatments, there is an urgent need for effective psychological interventions. Cognitive-behavioural intervention strategies are often used in clinical management, but what is the empirical support for these interventions? This review describes and evaluates the main cognitivebehavioural interventions used in the treatment of insomnia: sleep hygiene information, relaxation-based techniques, stimulus control instructions, sleep restriction therapy and cognitive therapy. For many insomnia sufferers, it appears that the cognitive-behavioural treatment approach represents a credible and effective alternative to drugs.