, Eun Ji Lim1,2
, Dongyun Lee1,2
, Young-Ji Lee1
1Department of Psychiatry, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Korea
2Department of Psychiatry, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
© 2024 Kosin University College of Medicine.
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| Treatment method | Advantages and disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| CBT-I | A multicomponent therapy consisting of various strategies to correct cognitive errors related to sleep, along with behavioral therapy strategies and additional elements | Advantages: sufficiently proven to be effective, having safety and long-lasting effect |
| Typically conducted over 4–8 sessions by certified health professionals | Disadvantages: shortage of trained professionals, higher out-of-pocket costs, need for extended time and effort | |
| SRT | Behavioral therapy that readjusts the bed-sleep association through sleep time restrictions | Effective and safe except for initial transient side effect such as daytime drowsiness |
| SCT | Behavioral therapy that deconditions the incorrect association between the bed/bedroom and wakefulness and restores the connection with sleep | Safe and effective |
| Relaxation therapy | Aims to reduce pre-sleep anxiety and arousal | Mixed outcomes: the 2021 AASM guidelines conditionally recommend it |
| Psychoeducation and sleep hygiene | Provide general recommendations and theoretical rationales for lifestyle and environmental factors that promote or hinder sleep | A common component of CBT-I |
| Insufficient evidence: The 2021 AASM guidelines recommend against its use as a stand-alone therapy | ||
| Cognitive strategies | Cognitive control, a method of clearing excessive thoughts before bed; imagery training, effective at reducing the racing mind at bedtime; paradoxical intention, designed to prevent counterproductive sleep efforts; and cognitive restructuring, which modifies common misconceptions about sleep and reconstructs dysfunctional beliefs about insomnia and its daytime consequences | Insufficient evidence as stand-alone therapy because cognitive strategies have been integratively used in CBT-I |
| Digital CBT-I | Software designed to prevent, manage, or treat insomnia based on CBT-I | Advantages: potential to increase the accessibility of non-pharmacological treatments for insomnia: overcome constraints of visiting healthcare facilities; potential to offer treatment to more patients at a lower cost; be applied in patients' real lives and can offer personalized feedback and treatment |
| Disadvantages: need for realistic administrative measures such as appropriate insurance allowance settings and requirement for caution regarding personal information | ||
CBT-I, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia; SRT, sleep restriction therapy; SCT, stimulus control therapy; AASM, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.