Insomnia is typically characterised by:
- A raised activity level with inner unrest and anxiety that extends into the night with long wake phases
- Futile attempts to fall asleep, often associated with anxiety that prevents falling asleep
- Restlessness, muscle tension and heart palpitations or increased pulse rate
- Fatigue during the day with increasingly poor memory and performance
- Onset of depressive symptoms is common
- Secondary insomnia is often the result of chronic pain or other organic disease
Benefits of WBCT in insomnia
- Insomnia tends to have anxiety and stress as an underlying feature and it is important to address the cause
- WBCT has been demonstrated to be of benefit as part of a behavioural-therapeutic programme, with improvement of sleep patterns seen after a week of therapy.
- It has the following benefits:
o Helps restore disrupted homeostasis in central activity levels
o Increases a general sense of wellbeing
o Increases the body’s natural endorphins which help to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression
o Pain relief
Protocol for management of insomnia
Management protocols are highly individualized, depending on the nature of the sleep disorder