NeurologyAdvisor: For women veterans who have insomnia and probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia was found to improve symptoms of insomnia, mental health symptoms, and quality of life (QoL), according to study findings published in Women’s Health Issues.
CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) has previously been found to be effective at improving sleep and mental health problems among predominantly male veterans. The current study aimed to focus on the efficacy of CBT-I among women veterans.
Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of data from 73 women veterans who were assigned to have CBT-I. Study participants were recruited via an insomnia postal survey and the trial was conducted at a single Veterans Affairs center. The CBT-I program comprised 5 weekly 60-minute sessions about sleep restriction, stimulus control, cognitive therapy exercises, sleep hygiene recommendations, and relaxation strategies. Outcomes were assessed using a wrist actigraph and participants were asked to keep a sleep diary. Symptoms of PTSD were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition and QoL using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey.
