Men lured into sleep clinics

MINNEAPOLIS, June 13 (UPI) -- British researchers disclosed Wednesday how they lured treatment-shy men into behavioral classes for treatment of insomnia.

"We didn't mention insomnia," said June Brown, lecturer in psychology at Kings College in London. "Instead, we advertised a class on 'How to Improve Your Sleep.'"

Not only did Brown fill up the classes, but she was also able to show that the cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of insomnia was fairly successful.

"About half the men who contacted us had never asked for help from their general practitioner," Brown told United Press International at the 21st annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Minneapolis.

She said 111 men called to ask about the program and 73 eventually participated. She also found that two-thirds of the men had clinical insomnia and more than 60 percent showed signs of clinical depression.

She said that follow-up sessions showed that the men had, as a group, significantly reduced insomnia as well as depression. In addition, she said, they also decreased their dysfunctional attitudes and beliefs regarding insomnia and depression.