Increasing access to evidence-based insomnia care in the United States: findings from an American Academy of Sleep Medicine stakeholder summit.

Challenges exist in access to high-quality care for insomnia disorder. After the recent publication of a clinical practice guideline on behavioral and psychological treatments for insomnia in adults, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) hosted a 1-day virtual Insomnia Summit in September 2022 to discuss improving care for patients with insomnia disorder. Fifty participants representing a variety of organizations (eg, medical, psychological, and nursing associations; patient advocacy groups; and federal institutions) participated in the event. Videos highlighting patient perspectives on insomnia and an overview of current insomnia disorder treatment guidelines were followed by thematic sessions, each with 3 to 4 brief, topical presentations by content experts. Breakout groups were used to brainstorm and prioritize issues in each thematic area. Top barriers to care for insomnia disorder include limited access, limited awareness of treatment options, low perceived value of insomnia treatment, and an insufficient number of trained clinicians. Top facilitators of high-quality care include education and awareness, novel care models to increase access, expanding the insomnia patient care workforce, incorporating research into practice, and increasing reimbursement for psychotherapies. Priorities for the future include increasing awareness among patients and providers, increasing the number of skilled behavioral sleep medicine providers, increasing advocacy efforts to address insurance issues (eg, billing, reimbursement, and performance measures), and working collaboratively with multidisciplinary organizations to achieve common goals. These priorities highlight that goals set to improve accessible, high-quality care for insomnia disorder will require sustained, coordinated efforts to increase awareness, improve reimbursement, and grow the necessary skilled health care workforce. CITATION: Schotland H, Wickwire E, Aaronson RM, et al. Increasing access to evidence-based insomnia care in the United States: findings from an American Academy of Sleep Medicine stakeholder summit. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(3):455-459.

Preliminary evidence of psychological improvements and increased maternal-fetal attachment associated with a mindfulness sleep programme: secondary analysis of uncontrolled data in 11 pregnant women with insomnia disorder.

Treating insomnia during pregnancy improves sleep and depressed mood. However, given well-established links between poor sleep and a broad spectrum of adverse maternal outcomes, the benefits of insomnia care may reach beyond sleep and depression. The present study evaluated the preliminary efficacy of 'Perinatal Understanding of Mindful Awareness for Sleep' (PUMAS)-a mindfulness sleep programme tailored to pregnancy that combines behavioural sleep strategies and meditation-for enhancing everyday mindfulness and maternal-fetal attachment, as well as for alleviating anxiety, repetitive thinking, and sleep-related daytime impairment. We conducted a secondary analysis of a single-arm proof-of-concept trial of 11 pregnant women with fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnosed insomnia disorder who completed PUMAS (six sessions), which was delivered in an individual format via telemedicine video. Pre- and post-treatment outcomes included the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R), Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS), Generalised Anxiety Disorder seven-item survey (GAD-7), Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), Daytime Insomnia Symptoms Response Scale (DISRS), and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep-Related Impairment Scale (PROMIS-SRI). Symptom changes were evaluated with paired-samples t tests. Results showed PUMAS patients reported large increases in CAMS-R (Cohen's dz = 1.81) and medium-large increases in MFAS scores (Cohen's dz = 0.73). Moreover, PUMAS patients reported large reductions in scores on the GAD-7 (Cohen's dz = 1.09), PTQ (Cohen's dz = 1.26), DISRS (Cohen's dz = 1.38), and PROMIS-SRI (Cohen's dz = 1.53). Preliminary evidence suggests that a mindfulness-based perinatal sleep programme may benefit several domains of maternal wellbeing beyond sleep and depression. PUMAS substantially enhanced patient ratings of everyday mindfulness and maternal-fetal attachment, while reporting alleviations in anxiety, perseverative thinking, insomnia-focused rumination, and sleep-related daytime impairment.

Reducing cognitive arousal and sleep effort alleviates insomnia and depression in pregnant women with DSM-5 insomnia disorder treated with a mindfulness sleep program.

Objectives: Combining mindfulness with behavioral sleep strategies has been found to alleviate symptoms of insomnia and depression during pregnancy, but mechanisms for this treatment approach remain unclear. The present study examined nocturnal cognitive arousal and sleep effort as potential treatment mechanisms for alleviating insomnia and depression via a mindfulness sleep program for pregnant women. Methods: Secondary analysis from a proof-of-concept trial of 12 pregnant women with DSM-5 insomnia disorder who were treated with Perinatal Understanding of Mindful Awareness for Sleep (PUMAS), which places behavioral sleep strategies within a mindfulness framework. Data were collected across eight weekly assessments: pretreatment, six sessions, and posttreatment. Measures included the insomnia severity index (ISI), Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS), pre-sleep arousal scale's cognitive factor (PSASC), and the Glasgow sleep effort scale (GSES). We used linear mixed modeling to test cognitive arousal and sleep effort as concurrent and prospective predictors of insomnia and depression. Results: Most patients reported high cognitive arousal before PUMAS (75.0%), which decreased to 8.3% after treatment. All insomnia remitters reported low cognitive arousal after treatment, whereas half of nonremitters continued reporting high cognitive arousal. Both nocturnal cognitive arousal and sleep effort were associated with same-week changes in insomnia throughout treatment, and sleep effort yielded a prospective effect on insomnia. Lower levels of nocturnal cognitive arousal and sleep effort prospectively predicted reductions in depression. Conclusions: The present study offers preliminary evidence that reducing sleep effort and nocturnal cognitive arousal may serve as key mechanisms for alleviating insomnia and depression via mindfulness-based insomnia therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04443959.

Perinatal Understanding of Mindful Awareness for Sleep (PUMAS): A single-arm proof-of-concept clinical trial of a mindfulness-based intervention for DSM-5 insomnia disorder during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective for prenatal insomnia, but unresolved cognitive arousal limits patient outcomes. Therapies aimed at reducing cognitive arousal may benefit pregnant women with insomnia. This proof-of-concept trial evaluated Perinatal Understanding of Mindful Awareness for Sleep (PUMAS, which combines mindfulness with behavioral sleep strategies) on insomnia, depression, and cognitive arousal. METHODS: A single-arm trial of 12 pregnant women with DSM-5 insomnia disorder (n = 5/12 with comorbid depression) who received six sessions of PUMAS delivered individually via telemedicine. Pretreatment and posttreatment outcomes included the insomnia severity index (ISI), Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS), pre-sleep arousal scale's cognitive factor (PSASC; nocturnal cognitive arousal), perinatal-focused rumination (appended to PSASC), and Glasgow sleep effort scale. RESULTS: Eleven of 12 patients completed all sessions. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed a 10.83-point reduction in ISI (Cohen's dz = 3.05), resulting in 83.3% insomnia remission. PUMAS produced large reductions in EPDS (Cohen's dz = 2.76 in depressed group), resulting in all five baseline depressed patients remitting from depression. PUMAS produced large reductions in nocturnal cognitive arousal, perinatal-focused rumination, and sleep effort (all Cohen's dzs>2.00). Patients were highly satisfied with PUMAS and identified the telemedicine format and meditation app as positive features of its delivery. Patients rated sleep restriction and guided meditations as the most helpful treatment components. CONCLUSION: Prenatal insomnia patients were highly engaged in PUMAS, which produced large acute reductions in insomnia, depression, and cognitive arousal. These findings support the concept and feasibility of PUMAS for pregnant women with insomnia who present with or without comorbid depression. GOV ID: NCT04443959.

Cognitive factors and processes in models of insomnia: A systematic review.

Cognition is central to the experience of insomnia. Although unhelpful thoughts about and around insomnia are a primary treatment target of cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia, cognitive constructs are termed and conceptualised differently in different theories of insomnia proposed over the past decades. In search of consensus in thinking, the current systematic review identified cognitive factors and processes featured in theoretical models of insomnia and mapped any commonality between models. We systematically searched PsycINFO and PubMed for published theoretical articles on the development, maintenance and remission of insomnia, from inception of databases to February, 2023. A total of 2458 records were identified for title and abstract screening. Of these, 34 were selected for full-text assessment and 12 included for analysis and data synthesis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We identified nine distinguishable models of insomnia published between 1982 and 2023 and extracted 20 cognitive factors and processes featured in these models; 39 if sub-factors were counted. After assigning similarity ratings, we observed a high degree of overlap between constructs despite apparent differences in terminologies and measurement methods. As a result, we highlight shifts in thinking around cognitions associated with insomnia and discuss future directions.

Neurocognitive functioning in comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea patients is better after positive airway pressure therapy, but worse after cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: exploratory analysis of cognitive outcomes from the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Treatment of Insomnia and Comorbid Sleep Apnea study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Neurocognitive impairments in comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA) are not well documented. We explored neurocognitive functioning and treatment effects in individuals with COMISA as an ancillary study to a randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Participants with COMISA (n = 45; 51.1% female; mean age = 52.07 ± 13.29 years), from a 3-arm randomized clinical trial combining cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and positive airway pressure (PAP) concurrently (CBT-I+PAP) or sequentially, completed neurocognitive testing at baseline, and post-treatment. Using Bayesian linear mixed models, we estimated effects of CBT-I, PAP, or CBT-I+PAP, compared to baseline, and CBT-I+PAP compared to PAP on 12 metrics across five cognitive domains. RESULTS: This COMISA sample had worse neurocognitive performance at baseline than reported for insomnia, sleep apnea, and controls in the literature, though short-term memory and psychomotor speed performance appears intact. When comparing PAP to baseline, performance on all measures was better after treatment. Performance after CBT-I was worse compared to baseline, and only performance in attention/vigilance, executive functioning via Stroop interference and verbal memory was better with moderate-high effect sizes and moderate probability of superiority (61-83). Comparisons of CBT-I+PAP to baseline generated results similar to PAP and comparing CBT-I+PAP to PAP revealed superior performance in only attention/vigilance via psychomotor vigilance task lapses and verbal memory for PAP. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment combinations involving CBT-I were associated with poorer neurocognitive performance. These potentially temporary effects may stem from sleep restriction, a component of CBT-I often accompanied by initially reduced total sleep time. Future studies should examine long-term effects of individual and combined COMISA treatment pathways to inform treatment recommendations. CLINICAL TRIAL: This was an ancillary study from a clinical trial (Multidisciplinary Approach to the Treatment of Insomnia and Comorbid Sleep Apnea (MATRICS), which was preregistered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01785303)).

Mindfulness as an Adjunct or Alternative to CBT-I.

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are programs that teach mindfulness concepts through guided meditation and self-regulation practices. MBIs have been found to improve sleep and reduce cognitive arousal, which are central to the development and perpetuation of insomnia. In this article, we review theoretic frameworks and clinical trial effectiveness data supporting MBIs for insomnia. Based on this review, we provide suggestions for using MBIs as an adjunct or alternative treatment option to CBT-I with regard to how, when, and for whom. We conclude with an agenda for future directions that can clarify the use of mindfulness as a treatment option for insomnia.

A Micro-Longitudinal Study of Naps, Sleep Disturbance, and Headache Severity in Women with Chronic Migraine.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between headaches, naps, and nocturnal sleep in women with chronic migraine (CM) using micro-longitudinal data from diaries and actigraphy. METHODS: 20 women with CM and 20 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) completed self-report questionnaires, electronic diaries, and wrist actigraphy over a 4-week period. Between-group comparisons were conducted with naps (frequency and duration) as the primary variable of interest. Within-group analyses were conducted on the CM group using hierarchical linear mixed models to examine the temporal relationships between headache severity, sleep behaviors, and sleep parameters. The primary variables of interest were naps (number and duration) and nocturnal sleep efficiency (diary and actigraphy). RESULTS: The CM group reported significantly more days with naps (25.85%) compared to the HC group (9.03%) during the study period (p = .0025). Within-group analyses in CM revealed that greater headache severity was associated with longer nap duration (p = .0037) and longer nap duration was associated with lower sleep efficiency measured using diaries (p = .0014) and actigraphy (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Napping is more frequent in CM than HC and nap duration in CM is associated with headache severity and nocturnal sleep disturbance. These findings provide initial support for the hypothesis that daytime napping is a behavioral coping strategy used in CM that could contribute to insomnia.

Mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia for older adults with sleep difficulties: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Poor sleep is a modifiable risk factor for multiple disorders. Frontline treatments (e.g. cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia) have limitations, prompting a search for alternative approaches. Here, we compare manualized Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI) with a Sleep Hygiene, Education, and Exercise Program (SHEEP) in improving subjective and objective sleep outcomes in older adults. METHODS: We conducted a single-site, parallel-arm trial, with blinded assessments collected at baseline, post-intervention and 6-months follow-up. We randomized 127 participants aged 50-80, with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score ⩾5, to either MBTI (n = 65) or SHEEP (n = 62), both 2 hr weekly group sessions lasting 8 weeks. Primary outcomes included PSQI and Insomnia Severity Index, and actigraphy- and polysomnography-measured sleep onset latency (SOL) and wake after sleep onset (WASO). RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis showed reductions in insomnia severity in both groups [MBTI: Cohen's effect size d = -1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.61 to -0.89; SHEEP: d = -0.69, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.43], with significantly greater improvement in MBTI. Sleep quality improved equivalently in both groups (MBTI: d = -1.19; SHEEP: d = -1.02). No significant interaction effects were observed in objective sleep measures. However, only MBTI had reduced WASOactigraphy (MBTI: d = -0.30; SHEEP: d = 0.02), SOLactigraphy (MBTI: d = -0.25; SHEEP: d = -0.09), and WASOPSG (MBTI: d = -0.26; SHEEP (d = -0.18). There was no change in SOLPSG. No participants withdrew because of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: MBTI is effective at improving subjective and objective sleep quality in older adults, and could be a valid alternative for persons who have failed or do not have access to standard frontline therapies.

Dissociable changes in sleep architecture with mindfulness and sleep hygiene intervention in older adults: Secondary and exploratory analysis of polysomnography data from the Mindfulness Sleep Therapy (MIST) trial.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a secondary analysis of the Mindfulness Sleep Therapy study, a randomized controlled trial testing Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI) against a sleep hygiene education and exercise program (SHEEP). We investigated whether the interventions led to changes in sleep macroarchitecture (N2, N3 and REM), and microarchitecture (sleep fragmentation, slow wave activity, spectral band power) measured by ambulatory polysomnography (PSG). METHODS: 48 MBTI and 46 SHEEP participants provided usable PSG and subjective sleep quality data both pre- and post intervention. The interventions consisted of 8 weekly 2-hour group sessions, and daily practice. PSG data were staged according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria by 2 technicians blind to time point and condition. Repeated-measures ANOVA and permutation analysis were used to test for differences over time and between the interventions. RESULTS: Self-reported sleep quality improved in both study groups. We observed significant increases in N2 in MBTI but not SHEEP (p = .045), and significant increases in N3 in SHEEP but not MBTI (p = .012). No significant differences over time or between group were observed in N1, REM, or sleep fragmentation. Higher frequency non-REM EEG power decreased in SHEEP but not MBTI. Slow wave activity and slow wave activity dissipation did not differ over time or between groups. Among all variables, significant time by group interactions were observed in only N3 and non-REM alpha power. CONCLUSIONS: MBTI and sleep hygiene education had different effects on sleep macro and microarchitecture, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness training in improving sleep quality may differ from traditional interventions.

Optimizing a Behavioral Sleep Intervention for Gynecologic Cancer Survivors: Study Design and Protocol.

Sleep difficulties, particularly symptoms of insomnia and circadian disruption, are among the primary complaints of gynecologic cancer survivors before, during, and after treatment. Moreover, difficulty sleeping has been linked to poorer health-related quality of life and elevated symptom burden in this population. Although leading behavioral sleep interventions have demonstrated efficacy among cancer survivors, up to 50% of survivors are non-adherent to these treatments, likely because these interventions require labor-intensive behavior and lifestyle changes. Therefore, there is a need for more effective and acceptable approaches to diminish sleep disturbance among cancer survivors. This manuscript describes the methodology of a two-part study guided by the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) framework to identify a streamlined behavioral sleep intervention for gynecologic cancer survivors. Three candidate intervention components previously shown to decrease sleep disturbance will be evaluated, including sleep restriction, stimulus control, and systematic bright light exposure. Participants will be adult women with a history of non-metastatic gynecologic cancer who have completed primary treatment and who report current poor sleep quality. Fifteen participants will be recruited for Part 1 of the study, which will utilize qualitative methods to identify barriers to and facilitators of intervention adherence. Results will inform changes to the delivery of the candidate intervention components to promote adherence in Part 2, where 80 participants will be recruited and randomized to one of eight conditions reflecting every possible combination of the three candidate intervention components in a full factorial design. Participants will complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-months post-intervention. Part 2 results will identify the combination of candidate intervention components that yields the most efficacious yet efficient 6-week intervention for diminishing sleep disturbance. This is the first known study to apply the MOST framework to optimize a behavioral sleep intervention and will yield a resource-efficient treatment to diminish sleep disturbance, improve health-related quality of life, and decrease symptom burden among gynecologic cancer survivors. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05044975.

A randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and PAP for obstructive sleep apnea and comorbid insomnia: effects on nocturnal sleep and daytime performance.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study examines the impact of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy for comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea on nocturnal sleep and daytime functioning. METHODS: A partial factorial design was used to examine treatment pathways with CBT-I and PAP and the relative benefits of each treatment. One hundred eighteen individuals with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea were randomized to receive CBT-I followed by PAP, self-monitoring followed by CBT-I concurrent with PAP, or self-monitoring followed by PAP only. Participants were assessed at baseline, PAP titration, and 30 and 90 days after PAP initiation. Outcome measures included sleep diary- and actigraphy-measured sleep, Flinders Fatigue Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire, and cognitive emotional measures. RESULTS: A main effect of time was found on diary-measured sleep parameters (decreased sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset; increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency) and actigraphy-measured sleep parameters (decreased wake after sleep onset; increased sleep efficiency) and daytime functioning (reduced Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Flinders Fatigue Scale; increased Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire) across all arms (all P < .05). Significant interactions and planned contrast comparisons revealed that CBT-I was superior to PAP and self-monitoring on reducing diary-measured sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset and increasing sleep efficiency, as well as improving Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire and Flinders Fatigue Scale compared to self-monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in sleep and daytime functioning were found with PAP alone or concomitant with CBT-I. However, more rapid effects were observed on self-reported sleep and daytime performance when receiving CBT-I regardless of when it was initiated. Therefore, concomitant treatment appears to be a favorable approach to accelerate treatment outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Multidisciplinary Approach to the Treatment of Insomnia and Comorbid Sleep Apnea (MATRICS); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01785303; Identifier: NCT01785303. CITATION: Tu AY, Crawford MR, Dawson SC, et al. A randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and PAP for obstructive sleep apnea and comorbid insomnia: effects on nocturnal sleep and daytime performance. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(3):789-800.

Associations between sleep disturbances, diabetes and mortality in the UK Biobank cohort: A prospective population-based study.

Non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, are partly responsible for the deceleration of improvements of life expectancy in many countries. Diabetes is also associated with sleep disturbances. Our aim was to determine whether sleep disturbances, particularly in people with diabetes, were associated with increased mortality risk. Data from the UK Biobank were analysed (n = 487,728, mean follow-up time = 8.9 years). The primary exposure was sleep disturbances, assessed through the question: Do you have trouble falling asleep at night or do you wake up in the middle of the night? The primary outcome was mortality. We also dichotomized sleep disturbances into "never/sometimes" versus "usually" (frequently), and combined with the presence/absence of diabetes: 24.2% of participants reported "never/rarely" experiencing sleep disturbances, 47.8% "sometimes" and 28.0% "usually". In age- and sex-adjusted models, frequent sleep disturbances were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.37), which remained significant in the fully adjusted model (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.09-1.18). The presence of both diabetes and frequent sleep disturbances was associated with greater risk of all-cause mortality than either condition alone. In the fully adjusted model, the hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.07-1.15) for frequent sleep disturbances alone, 1.67 (95% CI, 1.57-1.76) for diabetes alone and 1.87 for both (95% CI, 1.75-2.01). Frequent sleep disturbances (experienced by more than one quarter of the sample) were associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. Mortality risk was highest in those with both diabetes and frequent sleep disturbances. Complaints of difficulty falling or staying asleep merit attention by physicians.

Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Bright Light Intervention in Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related sleep disturbance is common and can adversely affect physical and mental health. Bright light (BL) therapy is a novel intervention that targets sleep by promoting circadian regulation. Emerging evidence suggests BL can improve sleep disturbance, symptom burden, and health-related quality of life in cancer and other populations; however, this research is limited. The present two-phase pilot study assessed the feasibility and preliminary intended effects of BL therapy on sleep in ovarian and endometrial cancer survivors, and explored biologic and chronobiologic factors that may underlie intervention effects. METHODS: In phase I, focus groups were conducted with 12 survivors and 9 gynecologic oncology clinicians to evaluate and gather feedback about the proposed study. In phase II, a pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 18 ovarian or endometrial cancer survivors who were randomized 1:1 to receive 45 min of BL or dim light (DL) for 4 weeks. Participants wore wrist actigraphs; completed sleep diaries and self-report questionnaires; and provided blood, saliva, and urine samples at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 3-month follow-up (T3). RESULTS: Study procedures were modified according to focus group results. Enrollment, retention, and adherence were all ≥ 80%. Mixed-model ANOVAs demonstrated that the number of nighttime awakenings per actigraphy, and sleep quality and depression per self-report, trended toward improvements in the BL condition compared to the DL condition. These variables improved from T1 to T2 before returning to baseline at T3. Effect sizes were generally medium to large. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that BL therapy is feasible among ovarian and endometrial cancer survivors. It may be an effective, non-pharmacological approach to reduce sleep disturbance and symptom burden in this population.

How Does Narcolepsy Impact Health-Related Quality of Life? A Mixed-Methods Study.

Study Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify patient-centered issues affecting Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in people with narcolepsy (PWN) and to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures using a mixed-methods approach. Methods: Twenty-nine adults (93% female, mean age = 31 years) with an established diagnosis of narcolepsy (Type I = 58.6%) completed focus group interviews using live videoconferencing. Additionally, participants completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures along with legacy measures commonly used in narcolepsy research (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Short-Form 36). Results: Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed that HRQoL was impacted by the constancy of sleepiness, unpredictability of narcolepsy symptoms, and negative public perception of narcolepsy. Challenges to accessibility and/or quality of care included dissatisfaction with non-sleep specialists' understanding of narcolepsy, the unpredictability of symptoms, and the cost of health care. There was enthusiasm for developing a psychosocial intervention to improve HRQoL using online access, but there were mixed opinions regarding the format, provider background, and content of the intervention. Elevations (T-score > 60) were found on PROMIS measures of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep impairment. These patterns were consistent with the levels reported on legacy measures. PWN Type I reported lower levels of general health relative to Type II (p < .05). Conclusions: These findings lay the groundwork for more targeted efforts to address areas of diminished HRQoL in PWN. Additionally, PROMIS measures appear to be suitable and efficient instruments for assessing HRQoL in PWN.

Autonomic dysregulation and sleep homeostasis in insomnia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Insomnia is common in older adults, and is associated with poor health, including cognitive impairment and cardio-metabolic disease. Although the mechanisms linking insomnia with these comorbidities remain unclear, age-related changes in sleep and autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation might represent a shared mechanistic pathway. In this study, we assessed the relationship between ANS activity with indices of objective and subjective sleep quality in older adults with insomnia. METHODS: Forty-three adults with chronic insomnia and 16 age-matched healthy sleeper controls were studied. Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), objective sleep quality by electroencephalogram spectral components derived from polysomnography, and ANS activity by measuring 24-h plasma cortisol and norepinephrine (NE). RESULTS: Sleep cycle analysis displayed lower slow oscillatory (SO: 0.5-1.25 Hz) activity in the first cycle in insomnia compared to controls. In insomnia, 24-h cortisol levels were higher and 24-h NE levels were lower than controls. In controls, but not in insomnia, there was a significant interaction between NE level during wake and SO activity levels across the sleep cycles, such that in controls but not in insomnia, NE level during wake was positively associated with the amount of SO activity in the first cycle. In insomnia, lower 24-h NE level and SO activity in the first sleep cycle were associated with poorer subjective sleep quality. CONCLUSION: Dysregulation of autonomic activity may be an underlying mechanism that links objective and subjective measures of sleep quality in older adults with insomnia, and potentially contribute to adverse health outcomes.

Sleep Apnea and Insomnia: Emerging Evidence for Effective Clinical Management.

Comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA) are the most common co-occurring sleep disorders and present many challenges to clinicians. This review provides an overview of the clinical challenges in the management of patients with COMISA, with a focus on recent evidence regarding the evaluation and treatment of COMISA. Innovations in the assessment of COMISA have used profile analyses or dimensional approaches to examine symptom clusters or symptom severity that could be particularly useful in the assessment of COMISA. Recent randomized controlled trials have provided important evidence about the safety and effectiveness of a concomitant treatment approach to COMISA using cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) with positive airway pressure (PAP). Furthermore, patient-centered considerations that integrate patient characteristics, treatment preferences, and accessibility to treatment in the context of COMISA are discussed as opportunities to improve patient care. Based on these recent advances and clinical perspectives, a model for using multidisciplinary, patient-centered care is recommended to optimize the clinical management of patients with COMISA.

Disease symptomatology and response to treatment in people with idiopathic hypersomnia: initial data from the Hypersomnia Foundation registry.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Knowledge of idiopathic hypersomnia symptomatology derives from clinical case series. Web-based registries provide complementary information by allowing larger sample sizes, with greater geographic and social diversity. PATIENTS/METHODS: Data were obtained from the Hypersomnia Foundation's online registry. Common clinical features of idiopathic hypersomnia and other central disorders of hypersomnolence were queried, for the last thirty days and when symptoms were most severe. Symptoms were compared between idiopathic hypersomnia participants with and without long sleep durations and between participants with idiopathic hypersomnia and those with either form of narcolepsy. Frequency of medication use and residual symptoms on medication were evaluated. RESULTS: Five-hundred sixty-three registry respondents were included, with idiopathic hypersomnia (n = 468), narcolepsy type 2 (n = 44), and narcolepsy type 1 (n = 51). "Brain fog," poor memory, and sleep drunkenness were all present in most idiopathic hypersomnia respondents, with brain fog and sleep drunkenness more commonly endorsed by those with long sleep durations. Eighty-two percent of participants with idiopathic hypersomnia were currently treated with medication, most commonly traditional psychostimulants such as amphetamine salts. Among treated patients, symptoms improved while on medication, but substantial residual hypersomnia symptoms remained. Participants with narcolepsy type 1 were more likely than those with idiopathic hypersomnia to endorse intentional and unintentional daytime naps and automatic behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia extend well beyond excessive daytime sleepiness, and these symptoms frequently persist despite treatment. These findings highlight the importance of online registries in identifying gaps in the use and effectiveness of current treatments.

Optimizing Behavioral Sleep Strategies.

Patients are increasingly looking to optimize sleep as a health and wellness strategy. Sleep health is often individualized based on three elements that correspond to overall physical and mental well-being: (1) sleep quality, which refers to the continuity and depth of sleep as well as a feeling of restoration upon awakening; (2) sleep quantity, which refers to the duration of sleep that is appropriate for a given age group; and (3) timing of the sleep window, which refers to the positioning of sleep that is aligned with an individual's circadian rhythm for sleep or an ideal circadian zone. In the past, prescribing hypnotic medications was considered the primary approach for improving sleep. However, there has been a recent paradigm shift to favor behavioral approaches, particularly in the case of insomnia where cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to have a more favorable benefit-to-harm profile than medications. The clinical vignette is presented here as a springboard for discussion regarding the latest evidence and efficacy for sleep behavior techniques and consumer monitoring devices developed to improve sleep health and awareness for clinicians to consider when educating their patients on maximizing sleep health behaviors.

Developing a cognitive behavioral therapy for hypersomnia using telehealth: a feasibility study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a novel cognitive behavioral therapy for hypersomnia (CBT-H) in people with central disorders of hypersomnolence and co-occurring depressive symptoms using a telehealth model for delivery and assessment. METHODS: Thirty-five adults with narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia received a 6-session CBT-H delivered individually or in small groups using videoconferencing. The clinical impact of CBT-H was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System measures, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and other patient-reported outcomes collected online at baseline and posttreatment. Feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and telehealth model was also evaluated using qualitative data collected from exit interviews conducted through videoconferencing. RESULTS: Forty percent of the sample achieved a clinically significant baseline to posttreatment change in depressive symptoms (decrease in Patient Health Questionnaire ≥ 5), which is below the prespecified efficacy benchmark (50% of the sample). The prespecified benchmark for a minimal clinically important difference (Cohen's d > 0.5) on other psychosocial measures was met only on the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System global self-efficacy (d = 0.62) in the total sample. Qualitative data revealed enthusiasm for the accessibility of telehealth delivery and the usefulness of several cognitive and behavioral modules but also revealed opportunities to refine the CBT-H program. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that this new CBT-H program can potentially reduce depressive symptoms and improve self-efficacy in people with central disorders of hypersomnolence. Furthermore, telehealth is a promising model for remote delivery and data collection to enhance participant accessibility and engagement. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Psychosocial Adjunctive Treatment for Hypersomnia (PATH); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03904238; Identifier: NCT03904238.