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(Ivanhoe Newswire) Some war veterans have trouble sleeping after a deployment to Iraq. New research finds both sleep medication and non-pharmacological treatment can help these vets get a better nights sleep. The study specifically finds high tech help may be key when treating young vets with insomnia.
Researchers from Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System led the study. It included five male veterans from 25 to 37 years old with insomnia for one to five years. All of the veterans served in Iraq and had a moderate to severe insomnia problem.
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While sleep medication helped the vets, the men also found other behavioral approaches helpful. Study authors say education and relaxation techniques using MP3 files and the Internet were preferred non-pharmacological treatments. The vets also used voicemail service to record their sleep diaries.
These preferences may reflect the technology savvy of this new era of veterans, says study author Dana Epstein, PhD. An Internet-based, non-medication intervention option could supplement the pharmacological treatment available in routine care.
It is recommended that adults get between seven and eight hours of sleep a night. About 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia.
SOURCE: Presented at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies on June 9, 2008
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