A number of my military patients – and likely your patients, too, judging by the consultation requests we see – seem to have gotten so used to the effects of getting insufficient sleep they wonder if they don’t really need much sleep. Maybe they’re just short sleepers, they wonder; maybe there’s no need to change their sleep habits
After 14 sessions of an evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for PTSD, my patient’s improvement was undeniable. His score on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) had decreased from 62 at baseline to 18 at our final session. He described that his trauma memories no longer had a hold over him, they were fading away in a healthy way. When I looked at his final PCL-5, I was pleased to see he had rated all of the items 0 or 1, except for item #20 (trouble falling or staying asleep), which he rated 4. I had hoped this symptom would have improved as treatment progressed, yet no matter how well our work was going, it hardly budged.
Our sleep team frequently gets asked which treatment we recommend for patients suffering with trauma-related nightmares. Our faculty members often struggle to answer this question because several promising treatments exist, but data is inconclusive when it comes to determining which one works better for whom. To help you navigate the options, I will summarize the promising treatments that are most commonly available.
Here at the Center for Deployment Psychology, we often receive questions during training events and via email about sleep-related challenges military patients may have. This makes sense, as sleep problems are one of the most common issues among Service member and Veterans. Let’s take a look at some of the more frequently asked questions-and provide some answers-in this audio format.