Sleep problems are ubiquitous in the modern world, significantly
impacting on quality of life, mental health, and performance at work and
at home. More significantly, sleep problems accompany almost every
mental health condition and are a significant driver in the development
and maintenance of poor mental health. This book describes the current
state of knowledge on the science of sleep, covering the various forms
of insomnia and parasomnia that abound, before discussing the variety of
assessment and treatment options available to the healthcare
practitioner. Further discussion of psychological and behavioural
interventions is made with particular reference to a new,
second-generation Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia, how this
is an effective treatment modality, and how it can be applied with
clients presenting with more complex physical and mental health
conditions. The final chapter presents the range of theories as to the
purpose and function of dreams and dreaming, and how 'dream-work' has
been applied in the therapeutic setting.