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Management of Insomnia

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...

Insomnia

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...

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

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...

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...

Behavior Therapy

Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia

Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia

Published on: February 17, 2023

Cognitive and behavioral treatment options for insomnia.

Matthew R Ebben¹, Mariya Narizhnaya

¹Weill Cornell Medical College Center for Sleep Medicine, New York, NY, USA. mae2001@med.cornell.edu

The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, New York

|July 13, 2012

Summary

Insomnia treatments focus on symptoms, not causes. Nonpharmacological therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy, offer better long-term insomnia management by addressing underlying factors.

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Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia

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Published on: October 18, 2024

Area of Science:

Sleep Medicine
Behavioral Science

Background:

Insomnia is a prevalent and costly disorder, often comorbid with other conditions, complicating treatment.
Pharmacological treatments for insomnia, while common, pose safety risks and do not address the root causes.
Cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) are recognized for their efficacy in long-term insomnia management by targeting causative and perpetuating factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To review nonpharmacological treatments for insomnia.
To provide an overview of common circadian rhythm disorders that mimic insomnia symptoms.

Main Methods:

Literature review of nonpharmacological insomnia treatments.
Summary of key features of delayed sleep phase syndrome and advanced sleep phase syndrome.

Main Results:

Nonpharmacological treatments, particularly CBT, are effective for long-term insomnia management.
Circadian rhythm disorders share symptoms with insomnia but require different management strategies.

Conclusions:

Nonpharmacological interventions are preferred for sustainable insomnia treatment.
Distinguishing insomnia from circadian rhythm disorders is crucial for appropriate patient care.