Is There an Alternative to Sleeping Pills for Insomnia? Flinders University Researcher Says Yes!

Tuesday - March 19 2024, 10:40 UTC - 8 months ago

Dr Alexander Sweetman from Flinders University states that self-guided digital behavioral therapy is a viable alternative to sleeping pills for treating insomnia. The 'Bedtime Window' program, developed by sleep experts, aims to increase accessibility to cognitive behavioral therapy and reduce reliance on sleeping pills. A recent study has shown significant and sustained improvements in sleep, daytime function, and mental health in participants using the program. This program is designed for those with both insomnia and sleep apnoea and involves short weekly sessions of videos, images, and practical exercises.

"Are sleeping pills the only solution for insomnia?" This is the question that Dr Alexander Sweetman, from Flinders University, seeks to answer. According to him, the answer is no. In fact, he believes that using self-guided digital behavioral therapy is a viable alternative to sleeping pills and should be considered by those suffering from insomnia.

A shortage of trained psychologists in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) has limited access to this effective treatment. As a result, a staggering 90 percent of insomnia patients in Australia are managed with sleeping pills, while only 1 percent are referred to psychologists for CBTi. This is where the ‘Bedtime Window’ program comes in. Created and tested by sleep experts at Flinders University and the University of Western Australia, the program aims to increase accessibility and reduce reliance on sleeping pills for treating insomnia.

Dr Sweetman led a recent study, published in Frontiers in Sleep, which found that the self-guided digital CBTi program was both easy to use and effective in delivering sustainable improvements in sleep, daytime function, and mental health. "We know that CBTi can improve not just insomnia, but also mental health and overall quality of life. We want to see more people accessing this treatment, as it can reduce the need for sleeping pills or other interventions that may not address long-term sleep problems," says Dr Sweetman.

Insomnia often co-occurs with another sleep disorder – obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). However, most people with OSA are undiagnosed and untreated. This is concerning, as studies have shown that individuals with co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea have a higher mortality risk compared to those with no sleep disorder or either condition alone. Dr Sweetman stresses the importance of developing an effective treatment approach for this highly prevalent and potentially life-threatening condition.

To increase access to CBTi for people with both insomnia and sleep apnoea, Dr Sweetman and his team developed the self-guided ‘Bedtime Window’ program. The study involved 62 adults with insomnia symptoms who used the program over an 18-month period. The results showed significant and long-lasting improvements in insomnia symptoms and associated mental health issues.

"The program is designed for both insomnia-alone and co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea. Each weekly session is only 20-30 minutes and includes videos, images, and practical exercises to teach useful skills for overcoming common sleep issues and unhelpful beliefs and behaviors," explains Dr Sweetman. While the initial findings are promising, further research is needed to validate the long-term effectiveness of the program and compare it with traditional face-to-face CBTi sessions.