Insomnia is a classification of sleep disorders in which a person has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early. These disorders may also be defined by an overall poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep disorder. About 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia. On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested.
The antidepressant citalopram does not appear to reduce the occurrence of repetitive behaviors in children and teens with autism spectrum disorders. – Citalopram, a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors, according to researchers.
Combination Therapy Appears Helpful for Short-Term Treatment of Insomnia; Cognitive Behavior Therapy May Be Better for Long-Term – For patients with persistent insomnia, a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and the medication zolpidem for 6 weeks was associated with modest improvement in sleep, although for a longer treatment period CBT alone was more beneficial, according to a study in the May 20 issue of JAMA.
Chronic insomnia with short sleep duration is a significant risk factor for hypertension. Findings suggest that chronic insomnia is a major public health concern, and its diagnosis and appropriate treatment should become the target of public health policy. – Chronic insomnia with objectively measured short sleep time is an independent and clinically significant risk factor for hypertension.
Insomnia often appears to be a persistent condition – About three-fourths of individuals with insomnia report experiencing the condition for at least one year and almost half experience it for three years.
US National Sleep Foundation poll finds inadequate sleep is associated with health and safety. – One-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns, according to a new poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Anxious older adults sufferring from an anxiety disorders may benefit from antidepressants – Many older adults worry – a lot. Almost one in 10 Americans over age 60 suffer from an anxiety disorder that causes them to worry excessively about normal things – like health, finances, disability and family.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine Study Shows that the Societal, Economic Burden of Insomnia is High. – A study in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep indicates that the indirect costs of untreated insomnia are significantly greater than the direct costs associated with its treatment.
Clinical trial results on the sleep-promoting effects of Vanda Pharmaceuticals’ circadian regulator tasimelteon (VEC-162) published in the Lancet. – Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) reports publication in The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, results of clinical trials of its novel circadian regulator, experimental compound tasimelteon (VEC-162).
A unique longitudinal study is the first to analyze insomnia in adolescents both in association with mental health problems during adolescence and as a risk factor for mental health problems in young adulthood – Adolescent insomnia symptoms are associated with depression, suic_ide ideation and attempts, and the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs such as cocaine.
Acupuncture reduces side effects of breast cancer treatment as much as conventional drug therapy. Therapy shown to increase energy and overall well-being for breast cancer patients. – Acupuncture is as effective and longer-lasting in managing the common debilitating side effects of hot flashes, night sweats, and excessive sweating (vasomotor symptoms) associated with breast cancer treatment and has no treatment side effects compared to conventional drug therapy, according to a first-of-its-kind study presented September 24, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology’s 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.
