That's news to me

A few talk therapy sessions help long-lasting insomnia better than sleeping pills, Norwegian researchers find.

The simple treatment is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It isn't brain surgery -- or even in-depth psychotherapy. It's all about learning how to change behaviors and thought patterns that interfere with sleep.

Attacked by snakes in his dream, a man strangles his sheets. Another, fighting dream intruders, punches his bedpost and breaks his arm. Others injure not themselves but their bed partners.

All of these people suffered an unusual sleep disorder in which they act out violent dreams. It's called REM-sleep behavior disorder or RBD.

For the first time, researchers at the National Sleep Foundation used information from their annual Sleep in America Poll to divide American adults into five distinct sleep profiles based on their sleeping habits.
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The five groups are based on more than 40 factors including how many hours slept per night, frequency of experiencing a sleep problem, how often they feel tired, number of caffeinated beverages consumed daily, and other sleep-related habits.

From having occasional difficulty sleeping to insomnia, there is a lot you can do to get a better night's sleep, feel refreshed when you awake, and remain alert throughout the day. It's called "sleep hygiene" and refers to those practices, habits, and environmental factors that are critically important for sound sleep. And most of it is under your control.