insomnia and chronic pain can be treated with cognitive therapies. They would have long-term positive effects both on the quality and duration of sleep but also on the perception of pain and would make it possible to reduce the use of sleeping pills and limit the risk of depression.
Researchers at the University of Warwick (Canada) carried out a meta-analysis of 72 studies carried out on the effects of non-drug therapies for insomnia associated with chronic pain in a total of 1066 patients aged 45 to 61 years. All studies addressed the effects of behavioral and cognitive therapies for insomnia, including sleep hygiene, ‘stimulus control’ (SC), sleep restriction (SR), cognitive therapy, and relaxation.
The conclusions of this study published in the medical journal PlosOnerevealed that cognitive therapy has a positive effect on the reduction of insomnia, but also on the mild to moderate reduction of pain. Cognitive therapy followed for at least 12 months leads to a reduction in the symptoms of depression.
“Poor sleep is a factor in many health problems and previous studies have documented it in obesity, diabetes, cerebrovascular accident, coronary artery disease, the risk of depression, anxiety and even drug addiction. It is also a major and frequent disorder, associated with chronic pain. However, the use of sleeping pills is not recommended over a long period, which implies in this case a non-pharmacological solution”, explains Nicole Tang, Adam of the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick.
Sleep disorders, a public health problem
Sleep disorders today affect 20% of the population of industrialized countries. They are responsible for a large number of health problems. Indeed, sleep deficiency can be responsible for car accidents, industrial disasters, metabolic disorders, and heart problems. In addition, people who lack sleep have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetesthe Depression, obesity and cancer. They also experience increased early mortality. More than a third of French people (34%) have consulted a specialist for their sleep disorders, according to a recent poll by Opinion Matters for Withings, a company that manufactures the Withings Aura smart alarm clock.
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