Insomnia Research

Several studies are researching different treatments for insomnia and the impact of chronic insomnia on a person's health. Additional information about these studies can be obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov:

Alternative treatments for insomnia

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is sponsoring several studies that are investigating the use of the following alternative treatments for insomnia:

Behaviorial treatments
Melatonin use in older adults
Valerian for people with Parkinson's disease
Yoga

Insomnia and painful medical conditions

Insomnia is a common symptom experienced by people with painful medical conditions, such as breast cancer, fibromyalgia (inflammation of the body's connective tissue), AIDS, (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), low back pain, and osteoarthritis. In addition to investigating disease-specific treatments for insomnia, various studies are investigating whether treating a person's insomnia helps reduce the pain and whether treating a person's pain helps reduce the insomnia.

Insomnia's impact on metabolism

Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase a person's appetite, which leads to overeating and weight gain. Studies indicate that people who sleep less than five hours a night exhibit insulin sensitivity similar to people with diabetes. They also have an increased production of cortisol (a hormone associated with increased belly fat). Researchers are currently investigating the impact of chronic insomnia on the regulation of a person's glucose (sugar) and lipid (fat) metabolism.

Mindfulness treatments for insomnia

Mindfulness is a technique in which people attempt to become aware of their thoughts and actions. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a standardized program of training in meditation and yoga that is designed to help people cope with anxiety and depression. Studies are investigating the use of MBSR to treat chronic insomnia.

Non-drug insomnia treatments

Researchers are studying the use of various non-drug treatments for insomnia, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, biofeedback devices, Tai Chi, sleep education, and yoga.

Fat and sleep disruptions

A person's internal clock (circadian rhythm) controls different biological processes, such as sleeping, waking, heart rate, and metabolic rate. This is also true of mice. Researchers were able to disrupt the internal clock of laboratory mice by feeding them a high-fat diet. The mice ate extra calories during the time they should have been sleeping or resting, and gained weight.

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