A QUEENSLAND study will trial cognitive behavioural therapy to help improve drug-free treatment of overlapping sleep disorders.
QUT and the Prince Charles Hospital are looking for people who think they may have, or who have recently been diagnosed, with insomnia and sleep apnea but are not currently undertaking Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment or cognitive behavioural therapy.
About 30 per cent of patients with sleep apnea also have insomnia, and the combination of the disorders can make it hard to manage each one in isolation.
Sleep researcher Associate Professor Simon Smith said many people had an occasional bad night's sleep, but when that bad night became a pattern it could have significant negative effects on the person's life.
"For example, ongoing poor sleep can lead to a lack of concentration, increased injury risks, social problems or just being tired, moody and irritable a lot of the time," he said.
"These problems can all have an effect on work, family relationships and a person's health."
Symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea include snoring, day time tiredness and mood changes.
Obstructuve sleep apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing for short periods of time while they are asleep. It is caused by the narrowing or collapsing of the airway in the throat.
"While it is becoming much more common, especially in people over the age of 45, it remains undiagnosed in many people," Professor Smith said.
"Insomnia is perhaps the most common sleep disorder, with around 15 per cent of the population affected.
"While insomnia is sometimes treated with medication, non-drug treatments can be most effective."
Professor Smith said the trial was offering the "gold standard" in treatment for the two disorders.
To assess your eligibility for the trial go to www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/insomnia
