A recent Canadian study found that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia during pregnancy can not only improve sleep patterns, but also treat postpartum depression.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia in the Okanagan and Vancouver, in addition to the University of Calgary, and was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders last October, and was written about by the Science Daily website.
While many people believe that lack of sleep during pregnancy is inevitable, new research has proven that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia during pregnancy can not only improve sleep patterns, but also treat postpartum depression.
Researchers discovered that providing cognitive behavioral therapy during pregnancy significantly reduces symptoms of postpartum depression.
“Early intervention is critical for the mental health of infants and mothers,” says Dr. Elizabeth Keyes, an assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing and a co-author of the study.
“Our research explores how addressing sleep problems, such as insomnia, can lead to better mental health outcomes for families,” she added.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a therapeutic intervention that identifies thoughts, behaviors, and sleep patterns that contribute to insomnia.
Treatment involves challenging or reframing misconceptions and restructuring habits to improve sleep quality.
“Cognitive behavioral therapy is the gold standard for treating insomnia and has been consistently shown to improve symptoms of depression,” says Dr. Keys. “Its therapeutic effects are similar to antidepressant medications among adults, but with fewer side effects, so it is often preferred by pregnant women.”
Sixty-two women who were evaluated for insomnia and depressive symptoms participated in the study, with half of them randomly assigned to an intervention group (i.e., they underwent cognitive behavioral therapy) and the other half to a control group (i.e., they did not undergo cognitive behavioral therapy).
“We found that cognitive behavioral therapy during pregnancy significantly improved sleep and reduced postpartum depression symptoms in participants,” Keys said. “These are very encouraging results for anyone who struggled in those first weeks and months with their newborn.”
The results suggest that effective treatment of insomnia during pregnancy may be a protective factor against postpartum depression.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a therapeutic method that relies on conversation between the patient and the therapist, with the aim of overcoming problems by changing the way of thinking and behaving.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to treat anxiety and depression, and may also be used for other mental problems, according to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the concept that thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap a person in a vicious cycle.
Therapy aims to help the person deal with problems in a more positive way by dividing them into smaller parts, and by changing these negative patterns, the way the person feels is improved.
Unlike some therapies that rely on dialogue and talking, cognitive behavioral therapy deals with the person’s current problems, and does not focus on problems and issues that occurred in the past.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can help deal with the following problems:
- Depression.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Panic disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Phobia.
- Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
- Sleep problems such as insomnia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy may also sometimes help people with chronic health conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.
There is usually one session per week or every two weeks, and the session lasts from 30 to 60 minutes, over a period ranging between 5 and 20 sessions.
The patient works with the treating specialist to analyze his problems into separate parts, such as thoughts, physical sensations, and actions. These parts are then analyzed and determined whether they are unrealistic or unhelpful.
The therapist will work to help the person change his or her unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. The patient will then be asked to practice these changes in his daily life, and will discuss the results of this in the next session.
What is postpartum depression?
Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects the mother after the birth of her child, as the mother feels extremely sad, anxious, and exhausted, and it becomes difficult for her to provide the necessary daily care for her child or even for herself, according to the National Foundation for Mental Health in the United States.
Depression is defined as a disease that affects an individual’s mood and leads to changes in the way he thinks, feels, and behaves. It afflicts the person with sadness, loss of interest and motivation, and self-loathing. Depression is a chronic disease that affects a person’s life and may lead to physical symptoms such as pain of unknown cause. It may also lead the person suffering from it to commit suicide. .
Postpartum depression affects 15% of mothers, and it may begin shortly before or immediately after birth, but it usually begins a week to a month after birth. It is a serious condition, as if it is not treated, it may continue for months or years, and may lead to the mother not providing care. appropriate for her child, which leads to his exposure to health problems and other problems in growth and development.