Sleep Health and Sleep Disorders Across the Lifespan

Course overview

Sleep is a basic human need and a critical component of both physical and mental health; however, insomnia is a public health problem. Mental health and sleep disorder comorbidities are common, often with a bidirectional relationship that exacerbates both conditions. In many cases, sleep concerns can be addressed by improving sleep hygiene. However, other problems that interfere with functioning may require additional assessment and treatment. Social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and counselors encounter patients and clients with acute and chronic sleep disturbances, but receive minimal formal training to confidently identify, diagnose, and address client concerns and issues with sleep health. Without adequate sleep competencies in the mental health field, therapist treatment recommendations are less likely to be aligned with evidence-based standards, potentially resulting in a delay (or absence) of effective treatment for sleep concerns. This comprehensive learning material provides mental health professionals with the information necessary to manage sleep disorders that commonly co-occur with mental health conditions, including guidance on identification, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep concerns. This learning material describes normal human sleep, sleep disorders across the lifespan, and the interaction of sleep disorders and mental health. Case examples illustrate key concepts throughout.