Insomnia is a common complaint among cancer survivors. A whopping 90% of them have sleep problems. Yet if you or someone you loves falls in to that unfortunate category, help may be at hand. A recently developed online program has had success in retraining cancer patients' sleep habits. Using cognitive-behavioral therapy, researchers from the University of Virginia had participants log on to "Sleep Healthy Using The Internet" (SHUTI), a plan that aids with "cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, and relapse prevention."
Pre- and post-assessment data were collected via online questionnaires and daily sleep diaries. Participants in the Internet group showed significant improvements compared with those in a control group. The researchers concluded that cognitive behavioral therapy delivered through an interactive, individually tailored Internet intervention may be a viable treatment option for cancer survivors experiencing insomnia. The study was published in the journal Psycho-Oncology.
Why not jump on over to SHUTI and give the program a try, whether you’re a cancer survivor or just someone who has trouble getting enough ZZZ's? Sweet dreams!
