Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Insomnia Therapy? I'll Sleep on it...


According to one of those countless research studies, one out of 10 Britons can't fall asleep at night. This surprises me as the amount of people I speak to who tell me they can't sleep at night is considerable.

I don't sleep well myself. I put this down to several things. A stressful job. A stressful family. Daughters who give me grief. Grandchildren who give me even more grief. A stressful football team to support - they've given me grief for more than forty years, a couple of Scottish Cup triumphs apart (I do give thanks I don't follow Edinburgh's lesser team, Hibernian) And the fact that I'm not a well man, something that may surprise a lot of people reading this. I don't like to complain about my ailments as most people will testify. All of these factors contribute to my lack of sleep of a night.

Those of us who have trouble sleeping know about the traditional remedies. Drink warm milk, take a hot bath, sip herbal tea, or count sheep. Now, a US study - where else? - claims that on-screen therapy may be an effective solution to arriving in the land of nod. Rather than waiting months for a referral to a cognitive behavioural therapist, there is now an on-line service.

This includes a five-lesson, five-week course teaching patients about insomnia and then offers goals for each week ahead. Patients learn to keep to a sleep schedule, reduce negative thoughts about sleep and practise relaxation techniques for day and for night.

Apparently this treatment has proved to be a great success. I wonder, however, how many of those who have undergone this on-line treatment have to live in a city resembling a demolition site in the name of trams, can't get from A to B without being plagued by bloody tourists, follow a football team whose strikers can't hit a barn door from six feet, have children who think their father is a mobile bank and grandchildren who think their grandfather is a walking assault course.

As I said, I'm not one to complain. And a quick look at this sleep therapy website has impressed me. In fact I would go as far to say.....zzzzzzzzzzzz....

3 comments:

Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm with you. an online therapy session would put me to sleep almost immediately!
Get some rest Mike and feel good.
xo

Unknown said...

I find it curious that a Scot would fail to mention one of the most effective sleep remedies of them all--Scotch whiskey! Yeah, it is known to have some wicked side-effects, but I have been told that Scots are generally immune to them. Has my leg been pulled again?

Adullamite said...

Who woke me up?

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