Treatment of insomnia varies. It depends on how severe it is and the cause. Short-term or bouts of insomnia may not need treatment. This is because it lasts only a few days. When treatment is needed it may involve lifestyle changes, medicines, and other treatments.
The first step is to find and treat any underlying causes of insomnia. The main goal is to have normal and restful sleep.
Treatment may involve the following:
Lifestyle changesMedicationsOther treatmentsComplementary and alternative treatmentsReferences
Patel D, Steinberg J, Patel P. Insomnia in the Elderly: A Review. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jun 15;14(6):1017-1024.
Insomnia. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/insomnia. Accessed March 17, 2022.
Insomnia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/insomnia-in-adults. Accessed March 17, 2022.
Insomnia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/insomnia. Accessed March 17, 2022.
Insomnia. National Sleep Foundation website. Available at: https://sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/home. Accessed March 17, 2022.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Nicole Meregian, PA
- Update Date: 03/17/2022