Here is an insomnia treatment

And you can read about it, right now.

I've decided to do this because I've been a little disheartened at the lack of proper advice given on insomnia boards. I've been lurking on several for quite some time, and there is usually little information on techniques proven to work. (e.g. ones that have been validated in properly controlled studies) Instead, we get posts of homeopathic quackery, or links other "cures". (the latter of which will ask you for a fee, convenient)

I don't want your money, nor do I want to push some new-age agenda. Here are instructions for the most effective active ingredients in CBT, a therapy proven to be more effective than pills. Print them out, keep it in your pocket, and commit to them daily (or nightly).

Sleep restriction:
- Calculate your total sleep time from a sleep log that is kept for 1 to 2 weeks. (no need to do this if you already know it)
- After you have found your total sleep time, make sure that the amount you spend in bed is equal to your total sleep time plus 30 minutes. In other words. if you are in the bed for 9 hours but only sleep 5.5 of those hours, adjust your bedtime so that you are only in bed for 6 hours.
- Once your sleep efficiency (sleep time/time in bed) is above 85%, increase your time in bed for 15 minutes a week so long as you maintain a sleep efficiency above 85%
- Wake up at the same time

NOTE: This, along with the technique I'll show you later, is by far the most effective method of increasing total sleep time and wake-after-sleep onset. However, it is also the least preferred component of CBT, presumably because sleep may get worse initially. Meta-analyses (pretty much mega-studies that analyze dozens of other studies) have concluded that adherence to this technique is strongly related to outcome. In other words, its effectiveness is based on how well you follow it! Stray away, and the technique won't be as effective.

NOTE2: Your sleep may get worse initially. Stick with it!! This technique is most effective to those who are most persistent.

Stimulus Control: 1) Go to bed only when sleepy; 2) Get out of bed when unable to sleep for 15 minutes 3) Use the bed/bedroom only for sleep and sex (i.e., no reading, watching TV, etc); 4) Arise at the same time every morning; and 5) Avoid naps.

Using these two techniques in tandem have been proven to be the most effective cure for insomnia in dozens of studies. I noticed the most popular CBT technique mentioned on forums is sleep hygiene. Studies show that while hygiene is themost popular CBT component to use among patients being treated, it has been proven to be ineffective. (adherence to hygiene had no relation to outcome) Chew on that next time someone gives you a list of natural sleep hygiene techniques.

SOURCE: http://www.int-med.uiowa.edu/Residency/ ... somnia.pdf