Consisting of a book and 3 CDs or 3 audio cassettes, and a quick reference card, this 4 to 6 week program may be of real value to depression sufferers.
It has been documented that depression can cause insomnia. Dr Morawetz has found in his experience as a clinical psychologist, that the reverse is also true: long-standing insomnia can cause depression. In a recent study, Dr Morawetz found that 70% of the insomnia sufferers who were depressed before treatment and learned to sleep significantly better were no longer depressed or were significantly less depressed, once their sleep had improved.
From the results of his studies, he believes that for many people who suffer from both chronic insomnia and depression, treating the insomnia successfully without medication can eliminate or significantly reduce the depression.
The objective of Sleep Better Without Drugs is to lift depression by increasing sleeping time.
The program has been clinically tested and refined, with follow-up studies that have shown a success rate of 80 to 87% in people from all walks of life. It enables people to identify their particular sleeping problem and then provides more than 50 strategies to improve sleep.
Doctors, counsellors and patients have only praise for this innovative program, saying that it has improved their life, made working easier and often cured other problems, including depression, that they were taking prescription drugs for.
I ordered your book and tapes on the recommendation of my doctor.
Before they arrived I read some of the information on your website and put one of your suggestions into practice.
It described the sleep wave and how to catch it!!
I practiced this for a few days and getting off to sleep was no longer a problem!
I haven't read your book or listened to your tapes. I no longer need to.
Thankyou so much - this has changed my life. I still get tired because I have a very demanding life, however I am no longer fearfull of not falling asleep and not getting enough sleep.
Thankyou very much
Re: the above book/cassette package D/net kindly sent me.
I am providing the following feedback which you are more than welcome to post on the noticeboard if you wish:
I found the program contained a lot of common-sense ideas. It gave examples instead of rigid instructions. This flexibility gave me the impression that Dr Morawetz was really interested in helping PEOPLE, as opposed to simply making money off an idea that worked "once or twice". Instead of a book that TOLD me what to do, it is a program that gave me many ideas to try out - to search for the ones that work for me!
Whilst my sleep schedule is still a bit erratic, I can say that what sleep I'm getting is of better quality than I have had in many years. I am now able to return to sleep quickly when I wake during the night. I am no longer scared of going to bed and staring at a dark ceiling waiting for sleep to strike. I can now relax, do simple meditation that leads to deep comfortable sleep. I am waking up with far more energy and the morning hits of depression have reduced drastically.
I used to rely on sleeping drugs only occasionally when, after several nights without sleep, I felt I really needed them. I have noticed over the last 4 weeks that I have not needed any sleeping medication. This is a bonus as the drugs left me feeling "hung over" and depressed in the mornings.
Thanks to Dr Morawetz for a common-sense, flexible program for learning to sleep better.
I have some up-coming stresses to deal with and am keeping the sleep diary going for a few more weeks to ensure I can keep in touch with these good ideas. Thanks again.
Julie
"When my sleep problem began 5 years ago, I was put on anti-depressants, and I've been on them ever since. I always thought that my depression was caused by exhaustion from lack of sleep. Now thanks to your program, I'm sleeping up to 7 hours a night, and my exhaustion is gone. Best of all, now that I'm sleeping normally again, even though I stopped taking the anti-depressants a month ago, I'm not depressed any more. Thank you so much!"
SUE MILVERTON, Special Education Teacher
Sunbury, Vic.
"I've sought so much help from so many people, and nothing ever worked. I tried anti-depressant medication, but it didn't help - quite the contrary actually. I saw a psychiatrist, and that was helpful for other things, but it didn't help with the sleep. The program is so simple, yet so effective. I was depressed before I started the program, but I'm a lot happier now. My husband is a lot happier too - he had to put up with my sleepless nights and my anger. I used to take 3 or 4 hours to fall asleep, now I take 10 minutes. I haven't even touched any sleeping medication since I started the program. A big thank you Dr Morawetz"
ROSETTA DE AMICIS, Primary School Teacher
Bulleen, Vic.
"I am a born worrier. I was using Mogadon every night, but I've had just one Mogadon in the last 5 weeks. I'm now sleeping 6 hours a night without Mogadon, instead of 2 or 3 hours with it. I sometimes use the ear plug when listening to the tapes in bed, but my husband says: 'Don't use that, I want to hear them too.' I've really enjoyed the program. I'm much less tired during the day. I'm no longer depressed. And I've learned not to worry in bed!"
CONNIE PEIRO, Production Manager with a Clothing Firm
Hawthorn, Vic.
"I've been on sleeping tablets or tranquillisers every night for 30 years. I was very, very sceptical that your program would help - it looked too simple. But I'm delighted to say that I now take no sleeping medication at all. This is despite the fact that I've had quite severe back pain for the past couple of weeks. I now realise that a lot of my depression in the past was in fact exhaustion from lack of sleep. I wish I had found this program years ago. I have told my doctor about it, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone."
DES COLE Justice of the Peace, formerly Human Resources Executive for a large Multinational Company
Camberwell, Vic.
"My clients find the program is really easy to understand and follow. There's a nice balance between having clear rules, and yet allowing for individual differences. The sleep diary has been particularly useful, also the Nine Rules for Better Sleep. In general, I've found it is a really efficient and cost-effective treatment for people with sleep problems.
ANNE WILLIAMS, Clinical Psychologist
Semaphore, SA.
"I fully endorse Dr Morawetz's behavioural treatment for insomnia and sleeping problems. In my experience, it has consistently proved more effective than medications in reducing insomnia for those with depression, anxiety and chronic pain syndromes."
Dr Scott Blair-West, Consultant Psychiatrist
Austin Hospital, Bethesda Hospital and University of Melbourne.
"Not being able to sleep just affected me so badly. I've never been a depressed person before, but I was so depressed. I've thrown out all the sleeping tablets now, and I'm sleeping 7 or 8 hours a night instead of 3 or 4. I'm so much happier now, and my relationship with my husband has definitely improved as well. I would have paid $10,000 to be able to sleep this well."
Danielle Friedman, mother/housewife
Caulfield, Vic.
"I've found your "Sleep Better Without Drugs" program so helpful that my two-doctor surgery now has two copies. Keep up the good work."
Dr Ben Balzer, General Practitioner
Beverly Hills, NSW
"I have had trouble sleeping ever since some traumatic events 25 years ago. I also suffered and was treated for depression. Now that my sleep has improved greatly, I am no longer depressed. I now realise that my depression was just a symptom of my sleeplessness."
Marion Davis, Service Coordinator to Aged and Disabled People
Ulladulla, NSW
"I was trapped in that cycle of severe depression and lack of sleep. It was like a horrendous torture. Thanks to "Sleep Better Without Drugs", I've now broken the cycle, and I haven't felt depressed at all for two years. I wish the medical profession would adopt your program instead of putting people on never-ending sleeping medication."
Louise Hunter, Farmer
Bamawm Vic
"About 6 months ago, suddenly it started. My wife couldn't go to sleep, not even a minute. Those were the most terrible weeks that we experienced since we came to this beautiful country. The doctor gave her antidepressants and sleeping pills, but she still could not sleep properly. After we change our doctor 3 times and still haven't got anything that was working, we were getting frustrated and depressed, and we wanted to go back to our home country. My last resort was the internet. I think our 'angel' work very hard for us, delivering the title of your program to my yahoo search page. I brought your program with a bit of scepticism, I must admit, but with such level of frustration, we would have done anything. To cut short the story, my wife try it. As soon as shee started the program, she gradually reduced all the medication. It took six weeks to work, but now she can sleep easily, whenever she wants to, and as long as she wants to. Unbelieveable, we just so grateful, we can't thank you enough for what you've done to us. I apologise for my poor english, not only english is not my first language, but the 'emotion' has somehow made it even harder. Warm regards."
Agus and Tjandra
Russell Lea NSW
"I have found "Sleep Better Without Drugs" immensely useful in my practice."
Anne Kotzman, Counselling Psychologist
Melbourne, Vic
He is widely acknowledged as one of Australia's foremost experts on helping people to sleep better without drugs.
Dr. Morawetz has published several articles on sleep in Australia, the United States and the Netherlands. He has also presented papers on sleep at Conferences of the Australian Sleep Association, the International Congress of Psychologists, and Advances in Sleep Medicine (USA).
He teaches classes on sleep at the University of Melbourne and at La Trobe, Monash and Swinburne Universities.
