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Management of insomnia: treatments and mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Sue Wilson*
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Unt, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
David Nutt
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Unt, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
*
Dr David Nutt, Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Whitson Street, Bristol BSI 3NY, UK. Email: david.j.nutt@bristol.ac.uk
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Summary

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Management of insomnia is an interesting subject at present. New drug treatments are now becoming available after a relatively static period since the development of the Z-drugs in the 1990s. Moreover, more evidence is coming to light about the length of drug treatment and the effectiveness of psychological therapies. This article briefly describes current treatments, both evidence-based and common practice, and goes on to describe some emerging approaches.

Type
Reappraisal
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2007 

Footnotes

Declaration of interest

S.W. A. and D.N. have received funding from several pharmaceutical companies with an interest in the drug treatment of sleep disorder.

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