Recent literature published in Current Psychiatry Reports titled “Deployment-related insomnia in military personnel and veterans” states Insomnia is reported by 54% of the 2 million U.S. men and women who served in various combat efforts since Sept., 11, 2001, which is more than double the insomnia rate among civilian adults.
Even if insomnia may have developed prior to joining the military, it can also occur during the service period, with combat exposure, mild traumatic brain injury, irregular sleep/wake schedules or post-deployment when the soldier returns to civilian life. Soldiers who suffer from insomnia while being deployed have a greater chance of developing traumatic stress reactions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorders, and even committing suicide, said Dr. Adam Bramoweth of the Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, and Dr. Anne Germain of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Training was recently rolled out to prepare providers in the Veterans Health Administration to use cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia. The goal is to educate 1,000 clinicians in an effort to bridge the gap between veterans who need treatment, and available providers.
“Training providers to be knowledgeable about insomnia and behavioral treatment options is a vital component to the treatment of chronic insomnia and managing its impact on other disorders,” said the researchers.
Source: News Medical
