Leading-Edge Non-Drug Insomnia Treatment Now Offered by Integrative Insomnia & Sleep Health Center

Recent Studies Highlight Health Consequences of Untreated Insomnia But Also the Potential Risks of Sleep Medication Use

SAN DIEGO--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Newly opened Integrative Insomnia & Sleep Health Center offers a scientifically supported, non-drug alternative for the treatment of chronic insomnia. Insomnia is a highly prevalent public health problem affecting large segments of the population and is known to significantly impair daytime functioning and reduce quality of life. It is becoming increasingly evident, however, that the health consequences of untreated chronic insomnia can be serious. A recent review article¹ published in the medical journal Lancet reported that insomniacs have a five-fold greater risk for clinical anxiety and depression, have a two-fold risk for developing congestive heart failure and diabetes, and also have an elevated risk of death. To complicate matters, a second study² conducted by researchers in San Diego reported an alarming association between the use of sleep medications (the most common treatment for insomnia) and premature death or cancer risk. Combined, these findings present a conundrum for doctors and their patients seeking an effective and safe solution for insomnia.

Based on available scientific evidence, the National Institutes of Mental Health³ have deemed only two treatment methods to be effective in treating chronic insomnia: (1) approved hypnotic drugs (i.e., Ambien, Lunesta) and (2) a non-drug treatment method called Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI). CBTI overcomes the disadvantages of sleep medications such as side effects, dependency, and withdrawal effects. Furthermore, CBTI is highly effective for facilitating sleep medication discontinuation.

Mindy Cetel, M.D., a long-time San Diego sleep medicine physician, and Derek Loewy, Ph.D., a former Stanford CBTI specialist, are pleased to announce the opening of the Integrative Insomnia and Sleep Health Center (IISHC). A featured service of the IISHC will be a comprehensive CBTI treatment program. The program will be offered in a variety of formats to suit the needs and preferences of individual patients. This is the first program of its kind available to the residents of San Diego County. Dr. Loewy remarks: “I’ve been doing CBTI for many years now and it’s not only effective for insomnia but patients prefer it to drugs because it’s not something artificial they need to rely on. With CBTI they are able to regain some control over their ability to sleep instead of just knocking themselves out with a pill night after night.” IISHC uniquely combines medicine with psychology and is the realization of a vision of Dr. Cetel who long believed that sleep specialists could do more for their insomnia patients than refilling their prescriptions for sleep aids.

The Integrative Insomnia and Sleep Health Center provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for all sleep disorders. Services offered include conventional sleep medicine therapies and diagnostic testing as well as CBTI, actigraphy monitoring, and complementary medicine approaches for healthy sleep. The IISHC has three locations in San Diego County: Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, and Oceanside.

If you would like additional information about this topic or would like to interview either Dr. Cetel or Dr. Loewy, you can contact them by phone at 858-224-1866, via email at [e-mail], [e-mail], or visit their website at www.integrativesleep.com.

Sources:
¹Morin, C.M, & Benca, R. Chronic Insomnia. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 20 January 2012
²Kripke, D.F., Langer, R.D., & Kline, L.E. Hypnotics’ association with mortality or cancer: a matched cohort study. BMJ Open, 2012.
³Manifestations and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults. In: NIH Consensus and State-of-the-Science Statements, 2005, 22(2):1-29.