If you're a veteran struggling with insomnia, you are not alone.
Sleep problems do not have to be permanent. Treatments options are improving, and can be extremely effective. For veterans with sleep problems who are not currently in treatment, the Heart and Armor team recommends the following:
If you're enrolled in VA care:
Contact a mental health provider and discuss options
Ask specifically about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Request information about specialized sleep resources
If you have a mental health provider or primary care doctor outside the VA:
Make sure you bring up sleep issues
Ask about referrals to sleep specialists and
Explore veteran-specific treatment options
If you do not have VA care or a mental health provider:
Start with the National Center for PTSD's self-guided coach program
Use this as your first step toward better sleep
Connect with veteran support groups in your area (e.g. Vet Centers)
Sleep - A Growing and Promising Cure to PTSD
Insomnia is an unpleasant but treatable challenge that demands attention. The implications of insomnia extend far beyond the feeling of fatigue, it's linked to both long-term and more immediate health problems.
Long-term Issues:
Increased risk of diabetes
Higher rates of cardiovascular problems
Compromised immune system function
Immediate Effects:
Emotional dysregulation
Social isolation
Increased risk of suicidal thoughts
Difficulty maintaining relationships
Reduced job performance
The good news is that new advances in therapies for insomnia are showing extraordinary promise, even without medication. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) has proven particularly effective and continues to improve.
The benefits of addressing veterans' sleep issues extend beyond the military community - the tools and treatments developed for veterans can help civilians address their sleep problems as well.
Heart & Armor’s Commitment to Sleep Therapy
Heart and Armor stands at the forefront of veterans' psychiatric research, working with some of the most cutting-edge investigators at UCSF and scientific approaches in the field. Most recently, we’ve been proud to fund a PTSD prevention trial, made possible through funding from a 2023 benefit concert featuring John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. Thanks to the nearly $500,000 raised that night, this new trial is already underway.
While our understanding of sleep's relationship with mental health is still in its early stages, we believe the potential to be enormous. We aim to revolutionize this space, transforming veterans' sleep problems from a chronic condition into an issue that can be effectively addressed in primary care - quickly, without adverse side effects, and without causing long-term disability for veterans.
The progress we've made is encouraging, but we're committed to pushing further, developing even more effective solutions so veterans’ sleep challenges are a thing of the past.
Participate in Research
Are you a veteran that would like to get involved with our research?
For those who would like to be a part of a remote insomnia research project, send your name and contact information to research@heartandarmor.org and we will provide more information.
You can be part of the solution.
Know a veteran? Want to help? Here are three easy ways to get involved:
1. Learn, read more about insomnia, PTSD, and sleep as a promising solution.
2. Share the message that insomnia is not a given - it’s treatable.
3. Contribute to our work, the solution is closer than people think.
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