Treating Sleep Disorders—Principles and Practice of Behavioral Sleep Medicine

Treating Sleep Disorders—Principles and Practice of Behavioral Sleep Medicine

Journal of Psychosomatic Research 57 (2004) 589 Book review Treating Sleep Disorders: Principles and Practice of Behavioral Sleep Medicine Michael L...

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Journal of Psychosomatic Research 57 (2004) 589

Book review Treating Sleep Disorders: Principles and Practice of Behavioral Sleep Medicine Michael L. Perlis, Kenneth L. Lichstein (Eds.), Wiley, 485 pages, ISBN 0471443433, US$75.00 Sleep medicine is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary subspecialty, and nowadays, sleep disorders are more recognized as serious conditions than in the past. Many sleep disorders account for life-threatening conditions such as cardiopulmonary diseases and sleep-related accidents. In addition, the quality of life of individuals, families and the larger society could be affected by these conditions, emotionally and financially. This edited volume is a comprehensive textbook of behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) intended for physicians who are interested in practicing in this field. It would make an excellent reference for trainees of psychiatry, neurology and internal medicine disciplines. The book outlines the theory, research, assessment and treatment of a broad spectrum of sleep disorders from the perspective of cognitive/ behavioral science. This book consists of section sections and 16 chapters, all of which are supported by tables, figures, appendices and research reports, which help the editors to simplify complex issues throughout the book. The initial section contains a brief historical perspective on the development of BSM. It also provides a thoughtful comparison between behavioral approaches and other treatment modalities, which appear to be more cost effective. In addition, valuable information is provided about BSM programs in the United States for those who are interested in this further study in this field.

0022-3999/04/$ – see front matter D 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.06.004

Section II offers a comprehensive overview of measurement and assessment of sleep. Although the main focus of the editors is the cognitive/behavioral approach in treating sleep disorders, in Section III, they also provide excellent information regarding the comparative efficacy of all treatment modalities. In Section III, the book progresses to more behaviorally oriented approaches. It offers an introductory review of behavioral principles and theories and their potential applications in BSM, especially for insomnia in adults and paediatric sleep disorders. The last part of Section III is dedicated to the clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment of paediatric sleep disorders and the implications of behavioral techniques on future research. This multiauthored book is edited by Michael L. Perlis, PhD, and Kenneth L. Lichstein, PhD, both of whom have long-standing interest and experience with sleep research and BSM, going back to the 1980s. In summary, this book’s strength lies in its extensive references, furnished by the authors and editors, to elaborate on the topic of interest and to provide a research perspective. Fariba Eghtedari-Namin Department of Psychiatry Toronto Western Hospital 399 Bathurst Street Toronto ON, Canada M5T 2S8 Tel.: +1 905 848 1826 E-mail address: [email protected]