Insomnia review reports faster sleep onset with cognitive behavioral therapy
A network meta-analysis examined several non-drug approaches for primary insomnia. A reported comparison favored cognitive behavioral therapy over benzodiazepines for time taken to fall asleep.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The analysis reported that cognitive behavioral therapy shortened the time needed to fall asleep compared with benzodiazepines. Other therapies showed benefits on selected sleep measures, but reporting problems make some comparisons difficult to interpret. The abstract supports a qualified account of individual outcomes, rather than a confident ranking of the best overall treatment.
The authors identify differences between studies and small samples. The abstract also contains inconsistent therapy counts and an unclear comparator for a repeated acupuncture estimate; follow-up durations are absent.
What researchers found
Difference in sleep latency
Cognitive behavioral therapy versus benzodiazepines; sleep latency means time to fall asleep. Assessment timing is not reported.
Sleep has several measurable dimensions
The review assessed sleep quality scores, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep latency. An advantage on time to fall asleep does not by itself demonstrate a comparable advantage on every other sleep measure.
Safety reporting has limits
Reported adverse events were uncommon and mild, mainly temporary local reactions in acupuncture studies. This summary does not establish that every included therapy has the same safety profile or describe safety over a defined follow-up period.
The original publication
Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological therapies for primary insomnia: a network meta-analysis.
Zhang QH, Liu YJ, Yang G et al.
Front Neurol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40808922
- Record checked
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