Insomnia
Among lifestyle practices, going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day can create a steady pattern which may help to prevent insomnia. Avoidance of vigorous exercise and caffeinated drinks a few hours before going to sleep is recommended, while exercise earlier in the day may be beneficial. Other practices to improve sleep hygiene may include:It is important to identify or rule out medical and psychological causes before deciding on the treatment for insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be as effective as medications for the short-term treatment of chronic insomnia. The beneficial effects, in contrast to those produced by medications, may last well beyond the stopping of therapy. Medications have been used mainly to reduce symptoms in insomnia of short duration; their role in the management of chronic insomnia remains unclear. Several different types of medications are also effective for treating insomnia. However, many doctors do not recommend relying on prescription sleeping pills for long-term use. It is also important to identify and treat other medical conditions that may be contributing to insomnia, such as depression, breathing problems, and chronic pain.
Sleeping disorders following traumatic brain injury
Nonpharmacological treatments involve different interventions, starting with sleep hygiene, which includes sleep promoting activities such as maintaining a regular and strict sleep schedule and avoiding heavy meals before bedtime in order to restore the natural sleep-wake cycle. Further treatments options are phototherapy and infrared light therapy, which both, aim to treat circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase disorder. Especially in patients with hypersomnia, bright light therapy in the morning has been proven to be effective. A prolongation of slow-wave sleep increases glymphatic clearance of metabolic waste products, which can lead to improvements of sleep disorders. Furthermore, studies showed ameliorated sleep pattern due to acupuncture of patients with TBI. Sleep apnea due to TBI can be treated through positive airway pressure, which helps with the development of a regular breathing pattern during sleep and prevents waking up. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia also have been shown to effectively improve sleep in TBI patients. It aims to improve sleep habits and behaviors by identifying and changing the thoughts and the behaviors that affect the ability of a person to sleep or sleep well. The improvement of the quality of sleep and the decrease of depressive severity is associated with he use of near-infrared light for intracellular healing.