Insomnia / Inadequate Sleep

LORETA neurofeedback identifies and normalizes the areas of your brain that are associated with your sleeplessness. So, for example, if you have major depression, anxiety, or trauma, these areas of the brain will be treated to relieve your insomnia.

Cause:

Insomnia can be due to medications, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, chronic pain, or shortness of breath. The underlying cause should be found and treated.

Treatment:

Insomnia treatment normalizes the areas of your brain that are associated with falling asleep, early awakening, or psychiatric diseases that cause insomnia.
The default mode network is often abnormal in psychological dysfunction, However, major depressive disorder, anxiety, or trauma need to be treated if they are abnormal in your brain. In patients I see who have had little or no sleep for some time, vagus nerve or alternating current stimulation are often necessary to begin sleeping again.

Specifics:

How much sleep is enough varies from person to person, but most adults need seven to eight hours a night. Normal sleep stages are also necessary. If you wake frequently you don’t get the normal sleep needed by your hippocampus to replay and sort out the events or your day.

At some point, many adults experience short-term (acute) insomnia, usually caused by stress or a traumatic event. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more, leading to anxiety, depression, and impaired cognitive function. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with medications or other medical conditions. Over-the-counter or prescribed sleeping pills that initially help can lose their effect over time but still cause side effects and withdrawal symptoms.


Insomnia can occur because it is hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or because you tend to wake up too early and not get back to sleep. You may still feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia reduces your energy level, mood, work performance, and quality of life.

Preparation:

Please read the section on “how to prepare for your session”. Your hair must be clean and dry. You must remove everything you can from your head and neck and preferably clothes and other parts of your body.

Dr. Birmingham provides Insomnia Treatment at his Vancouver, BC clinic

For more information or to make an appointment