The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibiligy and gather preliminary data on the efficacy of an inexpersive, easily deliverable, home use, nonpharmacological treatment program for general insomnia using subjective and objective measures (polysomnography and actigraphy) and a repeated measures design. The treatment program is based around an audiocassette integrating relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, imagery and other psychological techniques along with traditional sleep hygiene and other behavioral treatment materals organized in a "self-directed" system. This prototype audiocassette Program incorporates a new 3-Dimensional "virtual reality" like sound technology that enhances imagery, realism and, it is believed, efficacy. Elements of the prototype program has successfully been piloted in clinical settings with psychiatric patients, and has been used to train Air Force aircrew members to sleep more effectively in spite of circadian desynchronization. This study would be the first step leading to FDA approvable claims for the program's ability to alleviate insomnia. This would provide an effective and easy to use alternative to sedative-hypnotics which will have significant market potential.
Thesaurus Terms:audiotape, autogenic training, biomedical equipment development, relaxation, sleep disorder clinical biomedical equipment, cognitive behavior therapy, imagery, self care alternative medicine, behavioral /social science research tag, clinical research, human subject, polysomnographyNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
