Chronic insomnia baffles sleep experts	慢性失眠困扰睡眠研究专家
Chronic insomnia baffles sleep experts Millions of Americans lie awake at night counting sheep - or have a stiff drink or pop an allergy pill, hoping it will make them drowsy. But experts agree all that self-medicating is a bad idea, and the causes of chronic insomnia remain mysterious. Almost a third of adults have trouble sleeping, and about 10 percent have symptoms of daytime impairment that signal true insomnia. Sufferers readily cite the resulting problems: walking around in a fog, as memory and other cognitive functions slow. Dozing off at the wheel or at work. Depression. Lack of energy. But for all the complaints, scientists know surprisingly little about what causes chronic insomnia, its health consequences and how best to treat it, a panel of specialists brought together by the National Institutes of Health concluded Wednesday. Two things are clear, the panel found: Chronic insomnia is a major public health problem. And too many people are using unproven therapies, even while there are a few treatments that do work. The hope is that the report will dispel some of what panelist Dr. Sean Caples of the Mayo Clinic decried as "misinformation and myths." Among the panel's findings: _Cognitive/behavioral therapy - a psychology-based treatment that trains people to reduce anxiety and take other sleep-promoting steps - is very effective, and doesn't cause side effects. But it can be hard to find health providers trained in the techniques. Insomniacs should check with board-certified sleep specialists and psychologists. _Newer prescription sleep pills called Sonata, Ambien and Lunesta work without many of the side-effect concerns of older agents known as benzodiazepines. One study of Lunesta showed effectiveness with six months of use, but more research on long-term use of all three is needed, as chronic insomnia can linger for years. _The most commonly used treatments are alcohol and over-the-counter sedating antihistamines like Benadryl. Alcohol use actually disrupts quality sleep, and antihistamines can cause lingering daytime sedation and other cognitive problems. _The most common prescription insomnia medicine is an older, sedating antidepressant called trazodone, even though there's no good evidence that it offers more than a two-week benefit, and it comes with side effects. _There is no evidence backing the effectiveness of the popular dietary supplements melatonin and valerian to fight insomnia. (Agencies)	每天晚上都有数百万美国人躺在床上数羔羊，难以入睡；他们或者喝烈酒，或者吃片过敏药，希望这样能有助睡眠。然而，睡眠研究专家们一致认为，自作主张胡乱吃药并不是解决失眠的好方法。导致慢性失眠的原因目前还是一个谜。 几乎有三分之一的成年人存在睡眠障碍，而且大约百分之十的人在白天精神恍惚，这表明他们确实患上了失眠症。 提到失眠带来的问题，失眠症患者往往能脱口而出：走路就像雾中漫步，跌跌撞撞；记忆力减退，反应迟钝；开车和工作时瞌睡连连；精神消沉，没有活力。 上周三（6月15日），一个由美国健康研究院召集的专家小组得出这样的结论：要不是人们怨声载道，科学家们对导致失眠的原因、失眠对健康带来的危害以及治愈失眠症的方法的了解少得惊人。 这个研究小组发现，起码有两点是确定无疑的：一、慢性失眠是一个事关公众身体健康的大问题；二、尽管目前有一些行之有效的治疗方法，还是有不少人使用未经验证的疗法。 这份报告有望能消除那些被小组成员——梅奥诊所的肖恩·卡普里斯斥为误传和荒唐的说法。 专家小组发现： ● 认知/行为疗法。这是一种心理疗法，能让人减轻忧虑，转而采取其它有助睡眠的措施。这种方法非常有效，而且没有副作用。但是，目前还很难找到能提供这种治疗方法的医生。失眠症患者应首先咨询那些通过了委员会认证的失眠研究专家和心理学家。 ● 新的处方失眠药，如索纳塔、思诺思和鲁尼斯塔等安眠药，这些药物不会产生如以前的苯二氮平类短效性安眠药带来的副作用。一项针对鲁尼斯塔的研究显示，该药的服用时间在六个月之内，效果都不错。但是，一如慢性失眠仍将困扰人类多年，针对这三种药长期服用的疗效还需进行更多的研究。 ● 目前应用最广泛的治疗方法是饮酒和服用诸如苯海拉明一类的非处方镇静性抗组氨药物。而实际上，饮酒会破坏睡眠质量，服用抗组氨药物则会使人在白天长时间处于镇静状态，容易引起其它感知问题。 ● 最常用的治疗失眠症的处方药是一种名为三唑酮的已使用多年的镇静性抗抑郁药物。但是，现在还没有充分的证据表明其功效可以持续两个星期以上，况且它还有副作用。 ●目前也还没有证据表明广受欢迎的膳食补充剂褪黑素和缬草根可以有效治疗失眠症。 （中国日报网站译）