Drug-Free Sleep Therapy Better Than Sleeping Pills to Treat Insomnia, Experts Say

Following a 5-year study, Australian researchers are calling for improved access to the drug-free and long-term treatment for insomnia, CBTi.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder caused by autonomic dysfunction. Albina Gavrilovic/Shutterstock

Researchers from Flinders University and the Sax Institute are calling for improved access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia (CBTi), a non-drug treatment method, following findings from a five-year study.

Alexander Sweetman, primary author of the study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, said that while it is becoming more accessible, CBTi is utilised by only 1 percent of insomniacs.