A simple one-hour therapy session has been shown to cure acute insomnia, according to a new study from Northumbria University.

In the first study designed to treat insomnia in the acute phase — before it becomes chronic — researchers found that almost three-quarters of participants saw improvements in the quality of their sleep after a 60-minute cognitive behavioral therapy session, Science Daily reports.

The study, published in the international journal Sleep, involved 40 individuals — half of whom were taught behavioral techniques, such as how to recognize the symptoms of insomnia, control the triggers for it, and how to use cognitive control and imagery to distract their minds so they could get to sleep.

Within three months, 73 of those receiving the therapy were no longer having sleep problems, compared to 15 percent of those who had not received the training.

" The results of our study clearly showed that a single therapy session had successful results … Despite considerable evidence supporting the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia, it remained untested for acute insomnia until this study,” said lead researcher Jason Ellis, a professor of sleep science in Northumbria University's Department of Psychology.

"Chronic insomnia is a considerable health burden both on the individual and the economy and has been linked to the development of, or worsening of, a number of physical and psychiatric conditions. It is also a highly prevalent and largely unrelenting condition, so anything we can do to stop acute insomnia developing to the chronic stage will be of real benefit.”

About one in three American adults reports symptoms of insomnia.