New Insomnia Therapy offered through Psychology Department

Morgantown, WV, March 12, 2006: Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder affecting more than 75 million Americans at some point in their lives. The Quin Curtis Center, housed in the Department of Psychology in the Eberly Colleges of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, is offering psychological treatment for insomnia in older adults.

Insomnia is defined by an individual’s perception of poor sleep quality. Symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently throughout the night, waking up too early in the morning and feeling unrested. Insomnia has many causes and is experienced in many ways. Conditional factors include individuals who are of an advanced age or the female sex, or those with a history of depression.

Many people experience temporary, situational factors such as a street light shining into the bedroom, anxiety over an important presentation, jet lag or a noisy neighbor; however, if sleep difficulties occur more than three nights a week and last a month or more, the individual may be experiencing chronic insomnia and should consider treatment.

Specialists in the Quin Curtis Center, such as assistant professor Dr. Amy Fiske, evaluate a client’s daily behaviors and design a sleep therapy schedule to best fit those adults who feel they are missing much-needed rest. For example, specialists will asses a client’s intake of caffeine, smoking and drinking habits, and napping schedule. Instead of the common pharmacological treatments, Dr. Fiske and other specialists use cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). The Older Adult Team is the first known source for CBT-I in Morgantown. This type of therapy has shown to be highly effective through clinical trials.

Clients who are identified as having chronic insomnia are encouraged by behavioral coaches to develop ways to change their sleeping behaviors. For example, clients should avoid behaviors in bed that are not sleep-related, such as watching television or eating snacks. It is recommended that individuals who are experiencing symptoms of insomnia should engage in a fun, mentally-compelling activity outside of the bedroom until they are tired enough to fall asleep. Another method for behavior therapy is called relaxation training, in which the client focuses on slow breathing and mental clarity.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call the Quin Curtis Center at (304) 293-2001, ext. 4. For more information on CBT-I, please contact Dr. Amy Fiske at Amy.Fiske@mail.wvu.edu.

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