Addressing insomnia: Is sleep hygiene enough?

Presenters: Wendy Finck & Hailey Meaklim

Come to this pub discussion to build your knowledge of insomnia, how to assess for it, and appropriate treatment options with a view to enhancing client outcomes.

Insomnia symptoms affect as many as 80% of the population at any given time while around 5 to 15% meet the diagnostic criteria for chronic insomnia which is now referred to as Insomnia Disorder. The incidence of insomnia rises to 70 to 90% comorbid to medical issues (e.g., chronic pain) and mental health problems, particularly anxiety and depression.

Despite the high prevalence of insomnia, fewer than 15% of those with chronic symptoms receive treatment and, of those seeking help from their GP’s, most are prescribed hypnotics which have limited long‑term success and are associated with negative side‑effects. Lack of knowledge about nonpharmacological treatment alternatives and limited access to other forms of professional help are cited by physicians as the main reasons for prescribing medication. On the infrequent occasions (only 20% of the time) that nonpharmacological advice is given, it is usually around sleep hygiene which has insufficient evidence as a sole treatment for Insomnia Disorder. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT‑I), on the other hand, is a multimodal Level-1 evidenced nonpharmacological intervention that is widely recommended as the Gold Standard for treatment of chronic insomnia with and without comorbidity.

This pub discussion will provide an overview of the individual components of CBT‑I including behavioural interventions to increase sleep drive and reduce conditioned arousal towards sleep, cognitive interventions to address maladaptive beliefs about sleep and associated safety‑behaviours, relaxation strategies to limit cognitive arousal and reduce muscular tension, and tailored sleep hygiene education.

A pub discussion is a relaxed opportunity to observe a presentation on an interesting topic related to cognitive behavioural therapy. There are opportunities for the willing to engage in a discussion relating to the topic towards the end of the presentation.

Registration 6:15pm for a 6:30pm start, upstairs at the Terminus Hotel – this pub discussion will be approx. 1 hour in duration.

Non-members can join now and enjoy free registration, plus all the other advantages of AACBT Membership!