Understanding Insomnia -- Treatment What Is the Treatment for Insomnia? Treatment for insomnia may involve nonmedical therapy, such as developing better sleep habits or psychotherapy , and sometimes medications . If a medical condition like diabetes or menopause is causing your insomnia , treating those conditions may help. If insomnia is a side effect of a medication, changing the medication or its timing or reducing the dose may help. Always talk to your health care provider before making changes to any medications you are taking. Short-term insomnia , often caused by travel or stress, usually improves once the stress is removed or after your body has adjusted to the new schedule. Short-term use of over-the-counter sleep remedies may help. Chronic insomnia, which disrupts sleep for extended periods of time, may call for a thorough physical exam , alte...