USA: Relaxation Techniques Improve Older People's Sleep

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2006: THE QUESTION: As people age, complaints about sleep increase. People have more trouble falling asleep and often wake up frequently throughout the night. Might practicing relaxation techniques ease these sleep problems without risking the side effects of sleeping pills? THIS STUDY involved 46 adults older than 55 who had troubles related to insomnia, including impaired ability to function during the day, for an average of 14 years. They were randomly assigned to participate in individual cognitive behavioral therapy sessions focusing on relaxation techniques (50 minutes a week) or to take sleeping pills (zopiclone) or placebo pills nightly. At the start and again after six weeks, all participants were connected to sleep monitoring machines in their homes. Data showed that people who had therapy spent 52 percent less time awake after treatment than before, compared with 16 percent less for those who took sleeping pills and 4 percent less for the placebo group. The therapy group also achieved more time than the others in deep sleep (slow-wave sleep); a shortage of deep sleep is thought to be responsible for daytime functioning problems. WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Older people who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Contrary to popular belief, adults do not require less sleep as they get older: Adults of any age need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. CAVEATS: The sleeping pill used in the study, conducted in Norway, is not sold in the United States, but its active ingredient (eszopiclone, found in Lunesta) is available here. The findings may not apply to other types of sleep medications. They also may not apply to people whose sleep problems stem from psychiatric or medical conditions; the sleep problems of the participants in this study were unrelated to such conditions. FIND THIS STUDY June 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association; abstract available online at www.jama.com. By Linda Searing Special to The Washington Post