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Jorrit Bergsma, a Netherlands ice speed skater, and marathon skater is a three-time Olympic medal winner is currently competing in his second Winter Olympics this month. He used EMDR therapy to improve his tension and insomnia. The terrible effects of insomnia on anyone’s life are obvious but seem to be made worse on competitive athletes. Bergsma is not alone in his search for a solution. Sixty-two percent of the world’s population says they do not sleep as well as they would like. More than 50 million Americans suffer from insomnia. The Dutch Olympian has found his solution through EMDR therapy. Click here to read the article about Bergsma.

Resources on EMDR Therapy and Sleep Issues

Carletto, S., Borsato, T., & Pagani, M. (2017). The role of slow-wave sleep in memory pathophysiology: Focus on post-traumatic stress disorder and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 2050. Open access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02050 

Ghanbari Nia, N., Afrasiabifar, A., Behnammoghadam, M., & Cooper, R. Z. (2019). The effect of EMDR versus guided imagery on insomnia severity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(1), 2-9. Open access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.13.1.2

Morgenthaler, T. I., Auerbach, S., Casey, K. R., Kristo, D., Maganit, R., Ramar, K., Zak, R., & Kartje, R. (2018). Position paper for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine position paper. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14(6), 1041-1055. Open access: https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7178

Pagani, M., Amann, B. L., Landin-Romero, R., & Carletto, S. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and slow-wave sleep: A putative mechanism of action. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1935. Open access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01935

Pagani, M., & Carletto, S. (2017). A hypothetical mechanism of action of EMDR: The role of slow-wave sleep. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 14(5), 301-305. Open access: https://www.clinicalneuropsychiatry.org/clinical-neuropsychiatry-volume-14-issue-5-october-2017/

Raboni, M. R., Alonso, F. F. D., Tufik, S., & Suchecki, D. (2014). Improvement of mood and sleep alterations in post-traumatic stress disorder patients by eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 209. Open access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00209

Raboni, M .R., Tufik, S., & Suchecki, D. (2006). Treatment of PTSD by eye movement desensitization and reprocessing improves sleep quality, quality of life, and perception of stress. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 1071(1), 508-513. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1364.054

Rousseau, P. F., Vallat, R., Coste, O., Cadis, H., Nicolas, F., Trousselard, M., Ruby, P., & Khalfa, S. (2021). Sleep parameters improvement in PTSD soldiers after symptoms remission. Scientific Reports, 11, 8873. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88337-x

Stickgold, R. (2008). Sleep-dependent memory processing and EMDR action. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(4), 289-299. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.2.4.289

Szabo, J., & Toth, S. (2021). Collision every night: Treating nightmares with trauma-focused methods: Case report. Sleep Vigilance, 5, 151-156. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41782-021-00126-8

Vilceanu, A. (n.d.). Does EMDR therapy work for insomnia? Safe Sleep Systems. https://safesleepsystems.com/emdr-therapy-insomnia/

 

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