Health

Sleep Medicine Advances Offer Hope for Insomnia Sufferers

Sleep Medicine Advances Offer Hope for Insomnia Sufferers

New treatments including cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) apps and novel medications are providing alternatives to traditional sleeping pills. Understanding of sleep's crucial role in health continues to expand.

CBT-I is now recommended as first-line treatment over medication by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Digital CBT-I programs like Sleepio show effectiveness comparable to in-person therapy at lower cost.

Dual orexin receptor antagonists represent a new class of sleep medications with less addiction risk than benzodiazepines or "Z-drugs." The medications work by blocking wakefulness signals rather than inducing sedation.

"Good sleep is foundational to physical and mental health," said sleep specialist Dr. Matthew Walker. "Poor sleep increases risk for everything from cardiovascular disease to Alzheimer's to depression."

Workplace policies are evolving to support healthy sleep. Some companies now discourage after-hours emails and provide nap rooms, recognizing that well-rested employees are more productive and healthier.