It was thought that the elderly may be less responsive to behavioral approaches for chronic sleep problems. However, an analysis of 23 studies found this is not true, says researcher Michael Irwin, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA.
As many as quarter of older Americans experience chronic insomnia which can cause fatigue and difficulty concentrating during the day. Other dangers from insomnia include risk of death from heart disease and devastating falling injuries, reports WebMD
Behavioral treatments can be used for a longer period of time than drugs. Additionally, the long-term safety of the newer sleep aids have not been extensively documented in older patients, Irwin says.
"There has been a push, driven in part by the pharmaceutical industry, toward using drugs for the long-term management of insomnia," Irwin tells WebMD
Some of the behavioral treatments include:
Relaxation-based. Behavior changes, such as sleep scheduling and sleep restriction therapy that limits sleep quantity in an effort to improve sleep quality. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which examines lifestyle habits such as exercise and alcohol.The findings are published in the January 2006 issue of the journal Health Psychology
