Sleep issues may begin for a variety of reasons: everyday stress, a major life event, or medical issues, to name a few. For Tracey Clark, a busy mother and teacher, her sleep issues began in recent years due to intrusive thoughts at night and worries about her seemingly never-ending to-do list.
Many people don’t know where to start when it comes to seeking lasting results for sleep problems, as there are many different treatment options – one of the most common being medication. While medication can be incredibly useful, it’s important to be aware of the risks.
Potential risks of medication
Tracey wanted to avoid medication as much as possible because she knew they could be addictive. Since she thought medication was the only solution, she ended up suffering for years with her sleep troubles without seeking help.
While medication can be necessary for the treatment and management of mental health conditions, prescription drugs aren’t always the best option. They often come with side effects that can reduce quality of life or pose a danger to patients.
It isn’t just prescriptions though – over the counter medications can also carry risks. Sleeping pills, for example, can have negative side effects including dizziness, balance problems, muscle weakness, and digestive issues. If taken over long periods of time, you can become dependent on them, which can cause symptoms to come back worse than before once you’ve stopped taking it – it’s called rebound insomnia.
These are the reasons why Tracey knew she wanted to try a drug-free option to treat her sleep problems.
A drug-free solution to better sleep
Tracey was relieved when she was given access to Sleepio®, a digital treatment for insomnia, through her husband’s work benefits. She knew immediately she wanted to give it a shot.
Sleepio is a non-drug alternative to insomnia treatment, delivered through an interactive, web-based solution that employees can access anytime and anywhere they need. Developed by our world-leading cognitive behavioral therapists, Sleepio offers a safe, clinical-grade solution that has been shown to effectively treat insomnia.
According to Tracey, much of her sleep troubles stemmed from her attitude towards sleep and racing thoughts at night that kept her awake. Through Sleepio, she was able to shift her mindset, allowing her to approach sleep in a different way by building a consistent sleep schedule to follow. The techniques used in Sleepio are based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the first-line recommended treatment for insomnia. Techniques such as the ones Tracey learned are designed to help individuals address the root cause of their sleep problems for sustained behavior change and lasting results, rather than a short-term fix.
For Tracey, this meant writing out her intrusive thoughts before bedtime so she could go to sleep with a clear mind, developing a sleep schedule that worked with her busy life, and refraining from placing blame on herself over her sleep. Now, Tracey is sleeping better than ever and feels like she finally has control over her sleep – which has improved her life during the day, as well.
There are many people just like Tracey who struggle with sleep problems but aren’t sure where to start with treatment, or feel like the only option is medication. Consider a non-drug alternative for your employees suffering from sleep problems to help them get back to good mental health in a way that works best for them.
Learn more about why good, quality sleep matters.
Sleepio is available as an adjunct to usual medical care for insomnia disorder for adults ages 18 and older, without FDA review under their COVID-19 policy. Users are directed to not make any changes to their prescribed medication or other type of medical treatment without seeking professional medical advice.
DOC-2065 Effective 02/2023
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Digital medicine, Mental health, Sleep, SleepioShare article
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