Psychological Management of Insomnia in Patients with Depression

Insomnia is a persistent and pervasive problem for many patients suffering from depression. The present study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural intervention in reducing insomnia in depressives. Ten patients with depression who also fulfilled the criteria for insomnia according to diagnostic criteria of American Sleep Disorders Association as well as Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4^th Edn.) were included in the study. Sleep diaries were used as assessment tools for insomnia. Beck Depression Inventory 2^nd Edition (BDI-II) was used to measure the severity of depression. Twenty one sessions of multifaceted cognitive behavioral interventions were imparted. Post treatment improvement was seen in sleep onset latency time, wake up time after sleep onset, total wake up time and sleep efficiency. Positive effects on mood, fatigue, concentration and general quality of life were observed. The findings of the present study indicated the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapyin treatment for insomnia in depressives.