Introduction
In this particular case, S.H. suffers from a number of different symptoms, including insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, and hypertension. For this reason, the initial goals of therapy would be the reduction of such symptoms and stress that is connected with sleep disorders. Moreover, the improvement of function during the daytime should also be taken into account since the disturbance in sleeping patterns has a serious negative impact on mood and daily activities (Waters et al., 2020). In addition, monitoring the level of blood pressure is also vital since a patient already takes medication in order to control hypertension.
Drug Therapy
As for drug therapy, there are several medications that could be used in treatment. One of them is suvorexant, which, according to researchers, “increases the time spent in all sleep stages and, in general, sleep architecture is preserved” (Abad & Guilleminault, 2018, p.799). Zolpidem is also an effective drug; however, its effect can be seriously negated by caffeine since it increases nervousness (Crawford et al., 2017). A good drug should not only help to sleep during the night but also have minimal side effects. In order to prevent addiction, such types of medications should be taken for no more than a couple of months. During this time, a medical professional should closely monitor a patient’s condition and also implement non-pharmacological methods of treatment. Such adverse symptoms as depression and dizziness would cause a doctor to change therapy.
Alternative Therapy
Alternative treatment interventions are vital in this case since medication cannot fully solve the problem. Researchers include such methods as “relaxation techniques, improving sleep hygiene, and cognitive behavioral therapy” (Patel, Steinberg, & Patel, 2018, p. 1020). The last one is especially effective since, during this therapy, specialists discover the thought processes and types of behavior that interfere with sleep patterns. Moreover, doctors select replacements for these types of behavior in order to establish healthy sleep habits instead. Experts also suggest making a sleep diary data that “should be collected prior to and during the course of active treatment and in the case of relapse or re-evaluation in the long term” (Sateia et al., 2017, p. 334). Unlike medication, this type of therapy helps to deal with the underlying problems that lead to disturbances; therefore, the outcomes will last longer.
Lifestyle Changes
The other alternative methods include dietary and lifestyle changes; even though the process is long and requires patience, the results last for life. For instance, it would be beneficial to include foods rich in tryptophan, calcium, and vitamin B6 (Tan, 2016). In addition, giving up on foods and drinks that disturb the nervous system and prevent falling asleep is also vital. Among the most common causes of disturbances in sleep patterns are coffee and alcohol. While it is common knowledge that caffeine and insomnia are closely intertwined, alcoholic beverages are often mistakenly considered to have a sleep-inducing effect.
Results of Therapy
There are many measures that can monitor the success of the therapy. Therefore, it would be effective to make a checklist of these parameters, which will include the improvement of sleep patterns and a better mood after walking up. Moreover, such factors as a patient’s education should be taken into account. It is vital for a medical professional to inform S.H. about the adverse effect of addiction to sleeping pills and make it clear that it is more effective to make changes in lifestyle. In the case where a patient is educated and follows all provided guidelines, the therapy can be considered successful.
In conclusion, it would appear that insomnia diagnosis requires a deep and comprehensive examination of the patient, taking into account the detailed characteristics of sleep, somatic, and psychological characteristics. In addition, aside from pharmacological methods of therapy, alternative interventions are also important since relying on drugs is likely to cause addiction. Sleeping pills may help to reduce insomnia symptoms and increase awareness and responsiveness the next day, but this relief is short-lived (Weaver, 2015). While prescribing a therapy in order to improve a patient’s condition, priority should be given to non-drug methods. The reason for this is that they are aimed at eliminating deeper adverse factors that disrupt sleep patterns and relaxation.
References
Abad, V. C., & Guilleminault, C. (2018). Insomnia in elderly patients: recommendations for pharmacological management. Drugs & aging, 35(9), 791-817.
Crawford, C., Teo, L., Lafferty, L., Drake, A., Bingham, J. J., Gallon, M. D., & Berry, K. (2017). Caffeine to optimize cognitive function for military mission-readiness: a systematic review and recommendations for the field. Nutrition reviews, 75(suppl_2), 17-35.
Patel, D., Steinberg, J., & Patel, P. (2018). Insomnia in the elderly: a review. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14(6), 1017-1024.
Sateia, M. J., Buysse, D. J., Krystal, A. D., Neubauer, D. N., & Heald, J. L. (2017). Clinical practice guideline for the pharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia in adults: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(2), 307-349.
Tan, X., Alén, M., Wang, K., Tenhunen, J., Wiklund, P., Partinen, M., & Cheng, S. (2016). Effect of six-month diet intervention on sleep among overweight and obese men with chronic insomnia symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 8(11), 751.
Waters, F., Chiu, V. W., Dragovic, M., & Ree, M. (2020). Different patterns of treatment response to Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in psychosis. Schizophrenia Research.
Weaver, M. F. (2015). Focus: Addiction: Prescription Sedative Misuse and Abuse. The Yale journal of biology and medicine, 88(3), 247.