To bring effective, innovative treatment to the up to 50% of Veterans entering VA health care who have Insomnia Disorder, VA has developed an online training course called “Path to Better Sleep.”

In this podcast, Dr. Sarra Nazem, from Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention, interviews clinical psychologists Dr. Carolyn Greene and Dr. Andrew Moon from VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention about Insomnia Disorder, the link between Insomnia Disorder and suicide, and how VA is bringing treatment directly to Veterans through the free, self-directed, online training course “Path to Better Sleep.”

If you have ever suffered insomnia you really do not need a podcast to tell you how miserable it can be and how the lack of sleep affects your whole life. Poor sleep can affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to catching colds, and even bone regeneration, which for the elderly can make recovery from a fall more difficult. And good sleep just feels better, we are less cranky, and our mood is better.

The good news is that there are treatments that work for stopping insomnia. Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia (CBT-i) aims to improve sleep habits and behaviors by identifying and changing the thoughts and the behaviors that affect the ability of a person to sleep or sleep well.

Dr. Greene makes clear that CBT-i is not sleep hygiene, though it may borrow some techniques as a starting place. She makes it clear that CBT-i goes for beyond sleep hygiene; so, if sleep hygiene did not help, know that CBT-i is a different treatment that does work. CBT-i has been shown to be more effective than sleep medication for the long-term on-going treatment of insomnia.

You can start now at Path to Better Sleep (https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/insomnia/) which is a free online tool developed by the VA.

Links:

Joe Huggins is a program analyst for the Eastern Colorado GRECC and Rocky Mountain MIRECC.

Topics in this story

InsomniaMental Health

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11 Comments

  1. Sabijamz September 21, 2019 at 10:22

    Am also victim of insomnia, I need help

  2. Sabijamz September 21, 2019 at 10:22

    Am a victim of insomnia, i hope to get better one day

  3. Alvin Matheson September 20, 2019 at 13:22

    Ambien ambien

  4. Alvin Matheson September 20, 2019 at 13:17

    Dbt,cbt, therapy that bullsht never helped me ambien yes ambien is the only thing that works I dealt with insomnia since 83 back then all I got was a good f in the *ss! I did my own research and klonopin helped also running jogging if you can’t do that reading at night with the klonopin with ambien I would hit the bed and within ten minutes I was out. And yes good ole beer. These *sshole doctors and therapist don’t want to give you medication because it not cost effective. I can’t be the only one who knows this.

  5. kevin poole September 19, 2019 at 22:20

    I can’t find this on I-Tunes any place. I’ve searched VA Podcast Network- Zero results. Also Rocky Mountain MIRECC- Zero Results. Lastly searched RMIRECC – Zero Results. So what am I missing here, you banner says found on I-Tunes, but how ?

  6. Kenneth Viste September 19, 2019 at 16:37

    I wanted to follow the sleep program but the speakers talk so fast so with my hearing loss I am unable to understand what they say. Is this a written transcript available?

  7. Rocquelle Gunter September 19, 2019 at 12:48

    Does/can the VA offer something like “Calm” or “Abide” where you can listen to meditation, sounds, or stories to help fall asleep (something that we don’t have to pay to subscribe to)?

    Thank you,
    R. Gunter

  8. Karen H. September 19, 2019 at 10:44

    Is there a transcript of this podcast? I’d like to use the information in a support group that I facilitate. Thanks

  9. Bill Lawrence September 19, 2019 at 08:29

    I want to suggest that you go to your counties veteran services officer for this information and assistance. Hope this helps!

  10. Delson G. JimLani September 11, 2019 at 10:57

    Hi mam sir. Need help for my late grandfather pension n burial. Pls help me .

Comments are closed.

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