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Relaxation and Insomnia

Patients with insomnia are often tense and anxious, both at night and during the day. Relaxation-based interventions are the most commonly used nondrug therapy for insomnia.

A variety of techniques target different types of arousal. For example, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, and biofeedback are used to reduce somatic arousal such as muscle tension. Cognitive or emotional arousal in the form of worries, intrusive thoughts, or a racing mind are addressed using attention-focusing methods such as imagery training (i.e., focusing on pleasant or neutral mental images) or meditation.

Relaxation techniques may be less easily self implemented than stimulus control or sleep restriction because they require the learning of specific relaxation techniques through appropriate training. Professional guidance or an audiotape is often necessary, particularly in the initial phase of treatment (e.g., the first 3 weeks), to optimize an adequate use of the techniques. Regardless of the training method selected, therapeutic gains usually require at least 2 to 3 weeks of relaxation training.

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