“We now know that lack of sleep, insomnia, is likely to put you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure,” says Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center.
Research also links poor Zzz's with kidney disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Cancer and Alzheimer’s disease may also be tied to bad sleep. And of course, life’s simply harder to enjoy when you’re always sleepy. (Did we mention you’re also more likely to get a cold if you skimp on shut-eye?)
Advances in sleep medicine over the last year or so -- including research, technology, and a new breed of medication -- may help. While none may be magic bullets for tough sleep problems, these treatments give you more options if you need better rest.
“With insomnia treatment, it’s a lot of trial and error,” says sleep specialist Preethi Rajan, MD, of the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y. It can take time and effort to find a treatment that works long-term.
Apps and Online Programs
New technology can help against insomnia.
“We tell patients that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best way to treat chronic insomnia,” says Ketan Deoras, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center.
CBT counseling, or CBT-I for insomnia, helps address the habits that make sleep difficult, and it's based on your unique needs. But too few people have access to the treatment, because there’s a shortage of therapists, Deoras says. Smartphones and computers may help fill that gap with apps and online therapy
You can access programs like the Cleveland Clinic’s GO! to Sleep, CBT-i Coach, SHUTi, and others on your smartphone, tablet or computer. They're often free or low cost, and they save time you'd otherwise spend traveling to and from appointments. A recent study found that the online programs helped users get to sleep more quickly, and they said they slept better -- although they didn’t necessarily snooze longer.