Going to bed each night expecting to sleep badly is part of life for someone with insomnia. People with Insomnia may also believe that the day after a poor sleep will be difficult, mood will be low, important details will be forgotten, and tempers will flare. There might also be worry about sleep being out of control, and worse, worry that …
Sleep Well Feel Well with mental illness Program receives award from Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS)
Dr Melissa Ree from Sleep Matters is part of a team from the University of Western Australia who have implemented a sleep clinic within the north metro mental health service. We’re delighted to announce that this service has recently been awarded a high commendation from the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS). So many people with mental health problems also …
Sunday Times article – “Ignore Insomnia”
Perth’s Sunday Times newspaper yesterday contained an article on Insomnia, with the suggestion that its best cure is to ignore it. This is an eye-catching title and I hope it caught people’s attention. Of course the article contains a mixed message, as on the one hand we know that sleep is so important for health and wellbeing, but on the other, …
Clean up your Slumber: ‘Sleep Hygiene’ Printable tip sheet
Our infographic contains important tips for improving sleep and setting up a healthy sleep routine. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but is a carefully considered selection of changes that can have a large impact. Are there some challenges you could set for yourself from these? Try any change for 2 weeks and then evaluate how much it has helped. The …
Sunday Times: Perth’s problem with sleeplessness
The Sunday Times interviewed Perth sleep experts including Dr Melissa Ree from Sleep Matters for their article on sleep difficulties in today’s paper (page 20-21 and online). The article emphasises that sleep problems are very common in our high stress, high tech world and that this is true across the age span. The good news is that there are effective long term solutions. …
Australian Guidelines Recommend CBT for treatment of Insomnia
New Australian Guidelines for Insomnia treatment have recently been published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Dr Melissa Ree, Dr David Cunnington and Moira Junge from the Australasian Sleep Association have authored the document which reviews recent clinical evidence and recommends that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-Insomnia be offered as a first-line treatment for this common and often debilitating sleep disorder. The Australasian Sleep Association is the peak scientific body in Australia & …
Treating insomnia in severe mental illness – what does the research say?
In a new text book published this month, Prof Flavie Waters, Dr Melissa Ree from Sleep Matters, and Ms Vivian Chiu (UWA) have summarised the existing scientific evidence for the use of Cognitive behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in people with psychosis. They have also developed the Sleep Well, Feel Well with Psychosis Program which is an adapted treatment for Insomnia. The book a details instructions …
What is the recommended treatment for Insomnia?
Over the last 2 decades, scientific research has been consistent in it’s findings that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard treatment. One in three people regularly struggle with their sleep according to a recent study of sleep (conducted in Australia). We also know that around 10 per cent of the adult population suffers from chronic insomnia, which is …
Is it a myth that we need 8 hours sleep? How much sleep do I need? How much sleep does my child need?
Almost anything we read about sleep says we need 8 hours. Numerous studies have been published concerning the dangers of lack of sleep, to our general health and wellbeing. We now understand that sleep may play an important role in allowing to the brain to cleanse from toxins. So how much shut eye do we really need each night? New guidelines have been …
Awake late at night? Struggling to get going in the morning? Delayed Sleep Phase, a common teenage problem.
Struggling to get your teen out of bed and ready for school on time? Have they become a night owl who stays up after the family has gone to sleep? Are they losing sleep and feeling tired during the day? This can be an exasperating experience for both parents and children. ‘Delayed Sleep Phase’ can happen at any age but is …
The low down on screens before bed
There is a lot of talk about the negative impact of pre-bed screen use on sleep. Many of us still do it though…..and some of us do it and even sleep well. Media messaging often takes a one-size fits all approach and I want to challenge this. Sleep is a hot topic in the media – and so it should …
New Years Resolution – Improve My Sleep! Want to sleep better without medication?
In our fast-paced world, Insomnia is VERY common. One in three Australian adults regularly struggle with their sleep and around 10 per cent of adults suffer from chronic insomnia. Insomnia is defined as a difficulty falling asleep or returning to sleep following night-time awakening, with significant negative impact on daytime functioning. Insomnia can be triggered by many different things – …