re spent actually sleeping per night. The next step is to calculate the average sleep time. Then it needs to be determined how much extra time is spent in bed while not sleeping. After this is calculated, use this time to determine what time you should go to bed and what time you should get up in the morning. It is important that this schedule is strictly adhered to reset your biological clock. A very broad form of behavioral-treatment is relaxation techniques. These techniques include progressive relaxation, autogenic training, and meditation. Progressive relaxation is a "sequential tensing and relaxing of the main muscle groups" (Espie 107). This causes a decrease in muscle activity, blood pressure, and heart rate. Another form of relaxation is autogegnic training, where the patient rehearses simple phrases referring to warmth or heaviness of the legs and arms. In this technique the person is instructing their body to respond as if they are in a low state of physiological arousal. (Espie 110).Insomnia in itself is a very frustration and complex condition, and sorting through the possible treatments can be an additional frustration. Since there are so few specially trained sleep specialists, many doctors will go initially with drug treatments as an “easy way out,” but as I found out, the easy way is not necessarily the best way for every patient. ...
