Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Insomnia01:27

Insomnia

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines01:14

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...
Narcolepsy01:07

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.
Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Association of Prodromal Parkinson's Disease-Like Features in Long COVID With Dream-Enactment Behaviours.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same author

What's leak got to do with it? Association of mask leak and positive airway pressure adherence from the homepap study.

Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine·2026
Same author

Insomnia disorder.

Nature reviews. Disease primers·2026
Same author

Investigation of the "Not Better Explained" Diagnosis Criteria in Sleep Disorder Classifications: A Systematic Content Analysis and Critical Review.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same author

The effectiveness of Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on sleep EEG hyperarousal: a multicentric polysomnographic study.

Translational psychiatry·2026
Same author

Pharmacologic treatment data from chronic insomnia studies and the application to individuals with acute insomnia, a narrative review.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

Convergence of metabolic risk in obesity and normal BMI: does risk disappear?

Lancet (London, England)·2026
Same journal

Metabolic traits in obesity and normal BMI in industrialised countries: a multi-country analysis of national population-based studies.

Lancet (London, England)·2026
Same journal

Safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines: a mechanistic and public health perspective.

Lancet (London, England)·2026
Same journal

The US Ebola response and the future of global health leadership.

Lancet (London, England)·2026
Same journal

Daniel Mason: a tale of change.

Lancet (London, England)·2026
Same journal

The 2026 Wakley-Wu Lien Teh Prize Essay: why medicine, and why stay?

Lancet (London, England)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders
05:34

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders

Published on: August 18, 2023

Chronic insomnia.

Charles M Morin1, Ruth Benca

  • 1Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada. cmorin@psy.ulaval.ca

Lancet (London, England)
|January 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) offers sustained insomnia relief and is a viable alternative to benzodiazepine-receptor agonists (BzRAs), which have limited long-term data and potential side effects.

More Related Videos

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
06:23

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

Published on: September 22, 2020

Heat-sensitive Moxibustion as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Insomnia
04:59

Heat-sensitive Moxibustion as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Insomnia

Published on: May 30, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 25, 2026

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders
05:34

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders

Published on: August 18, 2023

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
06:23

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

Published on: September 22, 2020

Heat-sensitive Moxibustion as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Insomnia
04:59

Heat-sensitive Moxibustion as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Insomnia

Published on: May 30, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Clinical Psychiatry

Background:

  • Insomnia is a common clinical issue, occurring alone or with other disorders.
  • Effective treatments are crucial for improving patient quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy and long-term outcomes of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists (BzRAs) and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia.
  • To explore optimal treatment strategies for managing insomnia in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Review of empirical evidence for BzRAs and CBT in insomnia management.
  • Analysis of short-term vs. long-term efficacy, adverse effects, and patient acceptance.
  • Consideration of innovative delivery methods for CBT.

Main Results:

  • BzRAs are effective for short-term insomnia relief but lack long-term efficacy data and carry risks.
  • CBT demonstrates sustained sleep improvements for chronic insomnia and is well-tolerated.
  • Combined CBT and drug treatment may enhance outcomes, but integration evidence is limited.

Conclusions:

  • CBT is a recommended, evidence-based treatment for chronic insomnia, offering lasting benefits.
  • While BzRAs offer short-term relief, CBT presents a more sustainable therapeutic option.
  • Further research is needed to optimize the integration of CBT and pharmacological treatments for insomnia.