Behavioural therapy for shift work disorder improves shift workers' sleep, sleepiness and mental health: A pilot randomised control trial.

The present study evaluates the efficacy of behavioural therapy adapted for shift work disorder with a randomised control design in a healthcare population. Forty-three night shift workers (m. age: 34 years; 77% women) experiencing shift work disorder were randomised to either the behavioural therapy for shift work disorder (BT-SWD) or a waiting-list control group offered after the waiting period. Participants completed questionnaires on insomnia, sleepiness and mental health pre- and post-treatment, pre- and post-waiting, and at follow-up, and a sleep diary. As night shift workers alternate between sleeping during the day after their night shifts and transitioning to nighttime sleep on days off, insomnia severity and sleep variables were analysed for daytime and nighttime sleep. The BT-SWD involved sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control and fixed sleep periods in the dark. Statistical analyses were performed under intent-to-treat and per-protocol approaches. Repeated-measures two-way ANCOVA analysis, controlling for age, sex and pre-treatment daytime total sleep time, was performed with Bonferroni corrections, and between-group effect sizes computed. Fourteen participants dropped out after randomisation. Under the intent-to-treat analysis, BT-SWD participants had a significant greater decrease in daytime insomnia severity and an increase in daytime total sleep time at post-treatment than the control group, with large between-group effect sizes (-1.25 and 0.89). These corresponding results were also significant with large effect sizes under the per-protocol analysis. Sleepiness, anxiety and depression levels improved at post-treatment and maintained at follow-up when the BT-SWD treated controls were added to the BT-SWD group. The behavioural therapy for shift work disorder can be used to improve the sleep and mental health of healthcare night workers.

Digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia reduces insomnia in nurses suffering from shift work disorder: A randomised-controlled pilot trial.

Insomnia is a primary symptom of shift work disorder, yet it remains undertreated. This randomised-controlled pilot trial examined the efficacy of a digital, guided cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia adapted to shift work (SleepCare) in nurses with shift work disorder. The hypothesis was that SleepCare reduces insomnia severity compared with a waitlist control condition. A total of 46 unmedicated nurses suffering from shift work disorder with insomnia (age: 39.7 ± 12.1 years; 80.4% female) were randomised to the SleepCare group or the waitlist control group. The primary outcome measure was the Insomnia Severity Index. Other questionnaires on sleep, mental health and occupational functioning, sleep diary data and actigraphy data were analysed as secondary outcomes. Assessments were conducted before (T0), after the intervention/waitlist period (T1), and 6 months after treatment completion (T2). The SleepCare group showed a significant reduction in insomnia severity from T0 to T1 compared with the control condition (ß = -4.73, SE = 1.12, p < 0.001). Significant improvements were observed in sleepiness, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, pre-sleep arousal, sleep effort, self-reported sleep efficiency and sleep onset latency. No significant effect was found in actigraphy data. Depressive and anxiety symptoms, cognitive irritation and work ability improved significantly. Overall, satisfaction and engagement with the intervention was high. SleepCare improved insomnia severity, sleep, mental health and occupational functioning. This is the first randomised-controlled trial investigating the efficacy of digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in a population suffering from shift work disorder with insomnia. Future research should further explore these effects with larger sample sizes and active control conditions.

The effectiveness of stimulus control in cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Stimulus control is part of the widely used cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. However, there is a lack of knowledge about its mechanisms of action and effectiveness when used alone. This systematic review with network meta-analysis aimed to evaluate stimulus control efficacy when used alone compared with cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia or its components. The review also documented stimulus control mechanisms of action proposed by the authors. A search was conducted in several bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Psychology Behavioural Sciences Collection, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and in two registers from 1972 to June 2022. Randomised studies with adult participants presenting a diagnosis of insomnia and including at least one stimulus control instruction in a treatment group were included. Risk of bias was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Controlled Intervention Studies. Twenty-three studies were included and three network meta-analyses were conducted. The quality of included studies was generally poor. Results indicate that stimulus control is an effective intervention to improve insomnia compared with control conditions. Not all stimulus control instructions seem essential, especially those known to recondition the bedroom for sleep. The review challenges the classical conditioning hypothesis. Results should be interpreted cautiously given the small number of studies included, bias risk, and inconsistencies in the network meta-analysis. Rigorous research is needed in evaluating stimulus control efficacy and mechanisms.

Who Is Seeking Help for Sleep? A Clinical Profile of Patients in a Sleep Psychology Clinic.

BACKGROUND: The present study outlines a clinical profile of an ecologically valid population consulting for sleep difficulties at the Sleep Psychology Clinic of the Consultation service of the School of Psychology of Université Laval . METHOD: Patients self-report to the sleep clinic. Following a phone screening interview, patients present to the clinic for a semi-structured clinical interview for sleep and psychopathology, which is conducted by psychologists and doctorate psychology students. A chart review of adult patients (56% female, Mage = 43.6 years) was conducted (between 2015 and 2018) to record diagnosed sleep, psychiatric, and medical conditions. RESULTS: There was a high level of comorbidity with an average of 2.85 diagnoses (any diagnosis combined) per patient (SD = 1.76), with 27% of the patients having at least four diagnoses. Reviewing specific types of disorders, 58.5% of patients presented with at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder, 27.5% with one medical comorbidity, or 39.5% with another sleep disorder alongside their primary sleep concern. Insomnia was the main sleep disorder (76%). Anxiety (77.8%) and depression (53.8%) were the predominant psychiatric disorders, while fibromyalgia (10.9%), hypertension (10.9%), and head trauma (9.1%) were the main medical conditions. Of patients with five diagnoses and more, 77.8% were taking on average 3.2 different types of medications. The number of diagnoses predicted the use of prescribed hypnotics and the use of any type of medications. CONCLUSION: This clinical profile emphasizes the reality of multiple morbidities, which may have implications for clinical decisions. Future research is required to evaluate transdiagnostic approaches for the sleep disorder patient with multiple morbidities.

[Insomnia and suicide risk in cluster B personality disorder: A comparative cross-sectional study]. / Insomnie et risque suicidaire dans les troubles de la personnalité du groupe B : une étude comparative transversale.

Objective The suicide mortality rate among people suffering from cluster B personality disorders is estimated at approximately 20%. High occurrence of comorbid depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse, are known contributors to this risk. Not only have recent studies indicated that insomnia may be a suicide risk factor, but it is also thought to be highly prevalent in this clinical group. However, the mechanisms explaining this association are still unknown. It has been suggested that emotion dysregulation and impulsivity may mediate the link between insomnia and suicide. In order to better understand the association between insomnia and suicide in cluster B personality disorders, it is important to consider the influence of comorbidities. The aims of this study were first to compare the levels of insomnia symptoms and impulsivity between a group of patients with cluster B personality disorder and a healthy control group and second, to measure the relationships between insomnia, impulsivity, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide risk within the cluster B personality disorder sample. Methods Cross-sectional study including 138 patients (mean age = 33.74; 58.7% women) with cluster B personality disorder. Data from this group were extracted from a Quebec-based mental health institution database (Signature bank: www.banquesignature.ca) and were compared to that of 125 healthy subjects matched for age and sex, with no history of personality disorder. Patient diagnosis was determined by diagnostic interview upon admission to a psychiatric emergency service. Anxiety, depression, impulsivity and substance abuse were also assessed at that time point via self-administered questionnaires. Participants from the control group visited the Signature center to complete the questionnaires. A correlation matrix and multiple linear regression models were used to explore relations between variables. Results In general, more severe insomnia symptoms and higher levels of impulsivity distinguished the group of patients with cluster B personality from the sample of healthy subjects, although groups did not differ on total sleep time. When all variables were included as predictors in a linear regression model to estimate suicide risk, subjective sleep quality, lack of premeditation, positive urgency, depression level and substance use were significantly associated with higher scores on the Suicidal Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). The model explained 46.7% of the variance of scores at the SBQ-R. Conclusion This study yields preliminary evidence indicating the possible implication of insomnia and impulsivity in suicide risk for individuals with cluster B personality disorder. It is proposed that this association seems to be independent of comorbidity and substance use levels. Future studies may shed light on the possible clinical relevance of addressing insomnia and impulsivity in this clinical population.

National strategy on the integration of sleep and circadian rhythms into public health research and policies: Report from the Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network.

Scientists in sleep and circadian rhythms, public health experts, healthcare providers, partners, and stakeholders convened in 2020 for a 2-day meeting organized by the Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network to develop a national strategy for integrating sleep and circadian rhythms into public health and policies in Canada. The objective of this paper is to present the national strategy that emerged from this meeting of 60 participants from across Canada. The meeting focused on 4 key target priorities: (1) atypical working schedules, (2) sleep and circadian rhythms of children and adolescents, (3) insomnia, and (4) impact of sleep apnea on health. Following constructive discussions, it was decided that the following 4 strategic objectives should be prioritized to accelerate the integration of sleep and circadian rhythms into public health policies in Canada: (1) increase public health sleep and circadian rhythm research, (2) increase public health education and knowledge mobilization on sleep, (3) inform and support public health sleep interventions and policies, and (4) promote sleep health training. Participants recommended that research and public health efforts address needs along the continuum of sleep health. The committee noted that strategies and interventions could differ across contexts, settings, sectors, and jurisdictions. The national strategy also identified high-priority research questions in public health and recommended mechanisms to build research capacity, providing a path forward for the integration of sleep and circadian rhythms into public health research and policies.

Psychosocial Features of Shift Work Disorder.

To better understand Shift Work Disorder (SWD), this study investigates insomnia, sleepiness, and psychosocial features of night workers. The study compares night workers with or without SWD to day workers with or without insomnia. Seventy-nine night workers and 40 day workers underwent diagnostic interviews for sleep disorders and for psychopathologies. They completed questionnaires and a sleep diary for 14 days. The design was observatory upon two factors: Work schedule (night, day work) and sleep (good sleep, SWD/insomnia). Two-way ANCOVAs were conducted on psychosocial variables, and effect size were calculated. The clinical approach chosen led to distinct groups of workers. Night workers slept several periods (main sleep period after work, naps, nights on days off). High total wake time and low total sleep time characterized sleep in SWD. Most night workers with SWD still complained of sleepiness after main sleep. Cognitive activation distinguished groups of night workers. All other differences in psychosocial variables between night workers groups were similar to, but smaller than, the ones between day workers. The evaluation of SWD should consider all sleep periods of night workers with particular attention to self-reported total wake time, state sleepiness, and level of cognitive activation.

Adherence to Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia: An Updated Systematic Review.

This article discusses information extracted from 53 studies that have measured adherence to cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia. There has been an increase in more complex and less biased methods for assessing adherence that move beyond simply asking the patients whether they have adhered to the intervention or not. There is a need for a consensus around how to measure adherence, if clinicians want to arrive at an estimate of optimal adherence. Heterogeneity of studies, particularly in the way adherence is operationalized, prohibited conclusions about the relationship between adherence and outcome, as well as about predictors of adherence.

Sleep in times of crises: A scoping review in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis.

During the early days of the pandemic and in the context of a seemingly unknown global threat, several potential major sleep disruptors were identified by sleep researchers and practitioners across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic combined several features that, individually, had been shown to negatively affect sleep health in the general population. Those features included state of crisis, restrictions on in-person social interactions, as well as financial adversity. To address the lack of a comprehensive summary of sleep research across these three distinctive domains, we undertook three parallel systematic reviews based on the following themes: 1) Sleep in times of crises; 2) Sleep and social isolation; and 3) Sleep and economic uncertainty. Using a scoping review framework, we systematically identified and summarized findings from these three separated bodies of works. Potential moderating factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, psychological predisposition, occupation and other personal circumstances are also discussed. To conclude, we propose novel lines of research necessary to alleviate the short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 crises and highlight the need to prepare the deployment of sleep solutions in future crises.

Insomnia in personality disorders and substance use disorders.

The relationship between certain personality disorders (PDs) and insomnia has been the object of few studies in recent years. Even though it is not indicated to use polysomnography to diagnose insomnia, objective measures have shown sleep abnormalities in individuals with a personality disorder and insomnia. Interestingly, there is increasing evidence that emotion dysregulation is involved in a mutually aggravating relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and insomnia. While BPD traits are highly associated with suicide ideation and attempts, these behaviors could be potentiated or enhanced in individuals presenting sleep disturbances. Because BPD and other mental disorders are often linked with the use of medication or other substances, it is also important to review the association between substance use disorders (SUD) and insomnia. SUD can disrupt sleep and foster insomnia, which in turn might increase motivation to use substances. Insomnia has also been shown to precede (i.e., predict) SUD, and can be present during withdrawal as well. These results highlight the need to assess and treat insomnia when working with patients who present a PD or SUD.

Are cognitive variables that maintain insomnia also involved in shift work disorder?

OBJECTIVE: Shift Work Disorder (SWD) is explained mainly by a misalignment between the sleep schedule and the circadian rhythm. However, the possible role of cognitive variables in maintaining SWD remains unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate whether cognitive variables known to maintain insomnia in day workers might also be involved in perpetuating SWD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Sleep laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five shift workers diagnosed with SWD (84% females; mean age = 35.9) and 22 shift workers who are good sleepers (91% females; mean age = 34.1). MEASUREMENTS: The participants completed a sleep diary for two weeks, answered questionnaires, and underwent the Harvey's semistructured interview and the catastrophizing procedure. Data from the catastrophizing procedure underwent a content analysis. RESULTS: Compared with good sleepers, shift workers with SWD reported experiencing more thoughts that keep them awake, more presleep cognitive arousal, more dysfunctional beliefs related to worries and helplessness, and more selective attention toward worries and noises. However, the two groups did not differ on the tendency to catastrophize about difficulties falling asleep. Furthermore, 12 catastrophizing themes were identified in the entire sample, the most frequently endorsed being "sleepiness and energy" and "performance at work." CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that cognitive variables may play a role in maintaining SWD. Finally, worries that interfere with sleep in shift workers are related to their work context.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, singly and combined with medication, for persistent insomnia: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnotic medications are efficacious for short-term treatment of insomnia, but few patients achieve complete remission with any single treatment. It is unclear whether combined or maintenance therapies would enhance outcome. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the added value of medication over CBT alone for acute treatment of insomnia and the effects of maintenance therapies on long-term outcome. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Prospective, randomized controlled trial involving 2-stage therapy for 160 adults with persistent insomnia treated at a university hospital sleep center in Canada between January 2002 and April 2005. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received CBT alone or CBT plus 10 mg/d (taken at bedtime) of zolpidem for an initial 6-week therapy, followed by extended 6-month therapy. Patients initially treated with CBT attended monthly maintenance CBT for 6 months or received no additional treatment and those initially treated with combined therapy (CBT plus 10 mg/d of zolpidem) continued with CBT plus intermittent use of zolpidem or CBT only. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sleep onset latency, time awake after sleep onset, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency derived from daily diaries (primary outcomes); treatment response and remission rates derived from the Insomnia Severity Index (secondary outcomes). RESULTS: Cognitive behavioral therapy used singly or in combination with zolpidem produced significant improvements in sleep latency, time awake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency during initial therapy (all P<.001); a larger increase of sleep time was obtained with the combined approach (P = .04). Both CBT alone and CBT plus zolpidem produced similar rates of treatment responders (60% [45/75] vs 61% [45/74], respectively; P = .84) and treatment remissions (39% [29/75] vs 44% [33/74], respectively; P = .52) with the 6-week acute treatment, but combined therapy produced a higher remission rate compared with CBT alone during the 6-month extended therapy phase and the 6-month follow-up period (56% [43/74 and 32/59] vs 43% [34/75 and 28/68]; P = .05). The best long-term outcome was obtained with patients treated with combined therapy initially, followed by CBT alone, as evidenced by higher remission rates at the 6-month follow-up compared with patients who continued to take zolpidem during extended therapy (68% [20/30] vs 42% [12/29]; P = .04). CONCLUSION: In patients with persistent insomnia, the addition of medication to CBT produced added benefits during acute therapy, but long-term outcome was optimized when medication is discontinued during maintenance CBT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00042146.

Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (DBAS): validation of a brief version (DBAS-16).

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Sleep related cognitions (e.g., faulty beliefs and appraisals, unrealistic expectations, perceptual and attention bias) play an important role in perpetuating insomnia. This paper presents new psychometric data on an abbreviated version of the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale (DBAS-16), a 16-item self-report measure designed to evaluate a subset of those sleep related cognitions. DESIGN: Psychometric study of a patient-reported measure of sleep related beliefs based on existing clinical and research databases. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 283 individuals (60% women; mean age of 46.6 years old) with insomnia, including 124 clinical patients and 159 research participants. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Participants completed the DBAS, Insomnia Severity Index, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, daily sleep diaries for 2 weeks, and 3 nights of polysomnography (research sample only) as part of a baseline assessment. The DBAS-16 was found to be reliable, as evidenced by adequate internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.77 for clinical and 0.79 for research samples) and temporal stability (r = 0.83). The factor structure was similar to the original 30-item version, with 4 factors emerging and reflecting: (a) perceived consequences of insomnia, (b) worry/helplessness about insomnia, (c) sleep expectations, and (d) medication. DBAS total scores were significantly correlated with other self-report measures of insomnia severity, anxiety, and depression, but not with specific sleep parameters. CONCLUSION: The psychometric qualities of this abbreviated DBAS-16 version seem adequate. This patient-reported measure should prove a useful instrument to evaluate the role of sleep related beliefs and attitudes in insomnia and to monitor change on this cognitive variable as a potential moderator of treatment outcome.

Temporal relationship between dysfunctional beliefs, self-efficacy and panic apprehension in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia.

The aim of this study is to assess if changes in dysfunctional beliefs and self-efficacy precede changes in panic apprehension in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Subjects participated in a larger study comparing the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring and exposure. Four variables were measured: (a) the strength of each subject's main belief toward the consequence of a panic attack; (b) perceived self-efficacy to control a panic attack in the presence of panicogenic body sensations; (c) perceived self-efficacy to control a panic attack in the presence of panicogenic thoughts; and (d) the level of panic apprehension of a panic attack. Variables were recorded daily on a "0" to "100" scale using category partitioning. Multivariate time series analysis and "causality testing" showed that, for all participants, cognitive changes preceded changes in the level of panic apprehension. Important individual differences were observed in the contribution of each variable to the prediction of change in panic apprehension. Changes in apprehension were preceded by changes in belief in three cases, by changes in self-efficacy in six cases, and by changes in both belief and self-efficacy in the remaining three cases. This pattern was observed in participants in the exposure condition as well as those in the cognitive restructuring condition. These results provide more empirical support to the hypothesis that cognitive changes precede improvement. They also underlie the importance of individual differences in the process of change. Finally, this study does not support the hypothesis that exposure and cognitive restructuring operate through different mechanisms, namely a behavioral one and a cognitive one.

Qualitative studies of insomnia: Current state of knowledge in the field.

Despite its high prevalence and burden, insomnia is often trivialized, under-diagnosed, and under-treated in practice. Little information is available on the subjective experience and perceived consequences of insomnia, help-seeking behaviors, and treatment preferences. The use of qualitative approaches (e.g., ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory) may help gain a better understanding of this sleep disorder. The present paper summarizes the evidence derived from insomnia studies using a qualitative research methodology (e.g., focus group, semi-structured interviews). A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PsycINFO and Medline databases. The review yielded 22 studies and the quality of the methodology of each of them was evaluated systematically using the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) appraisal tool. Selected articles possess at least a very good methodological rigor and they were categorized according to their main focus: "Experience of insomnia", "Management of insomnia" and "Medicalization of insomnia". The main findings indicate that: 1) insomnia is often experienced as a 24-h problem and is perceived to affect several domains of life, 2) a sense of frustration and misunderstanding is very common among insomnia patients, which is possibly due to a mismatch between patients' and health care professionals' perspectives on insomnia and its treatment, 3) health care professionals pay more attention to sleep hygiene education and medication therapies and less to the patient's subjective experience of insomnia, and 4) health care professionals are often unaware of non-pharmacological interventions other than sleep hygiene education. An important implication of these findings is the need to develop new clinical measures with a broader scope on insomnia and more targeted treatments that take into account the patient's experience of insomnia. Greater use of qualitative approaches in future research may produce novel and more contextualized information leading to a more comprehensive understanding of insomnia.

[Insomnia and increased use of sleep medication among seniors: problems and alternative treatment]. / Insomnie et utilisation accrue de somnifères chez les aînés: problématique et alternative de traitement.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the problem of insomnia and increased used of sleep medication among seniors and to look at an alternative form of treatment (cognitive-behavioural therapy [CBT]) that has been adapted specifically for this population. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched from 1990 to 2005 using the key words insomnia, elderly (older adults), hypnotics (sleep medication), and cognitive behavior therapy. When discussing the efficacy of treatment, sources quoted offer level I evidence. Studies on the deleterious effects of hypnotics primarily offer level II evidence, so their findings must be interpreted with caution (some studies present conflicting results). MAIN MESSAGE: Insomnia in elderly people is associated with marked distress or deterioration in social or physical functioning. Hypnotics can be dangerous for elderly people because they raise the risk of adverse effects on cognitive function and the risk of drug-drug interactions. Treatment should be based on CBT alone or on a combination of CBT and appropriate pharmaceutical therapy. CONCLUSION: Cognitive-behavioural therapy adapted specifically to the problem of insomnia in seniors is one of the recommended options. The gains often include a notable decrease in use of sleep medication and in the emotional distress associated with insomnia.

Nocturnal heart rate variability in patients treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia.

OBJECTIVE: Insomnia and reduced heart rate variability (HRV) increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and its precursors; thus, it is important to evaluate whether treatment for insomnia provides cardiovascular safeguards. The present study aimed to evaluate potential cardiovascular benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). METHOD: The present study included 65 patients treated for chronic insomnia (M = 51.8 years, SD = 10.0; 66.2% female) at a university hospital. Patients received CBT-I over a 6-week period, and change scores from pre- to posttreatment derived from the Insomnia Severity Index, sleep diary, and polysomnography (PSG) were used as indices of sleep improvement. HRV variables (i.e., low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF], and the ratio of low to high frequency [LF:HF ratio]) were derived for Stage 2 (S2) and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep at pre- and posttreatment. High HF (i.e., parasympathetic activity) and/or low LF:HF ratio (i.e., sympathovagal balance) were used as indices of HRV improvement. RESULTS: Following therapy, sleep improvements, particularly for sleep onset latency, were related with reduced HF in S2 (r = .30, p < .05) and in REM (r = .36, p < .01). A trend was also observed between reduced insomnia symptoms and increased HF in REM (r = -.21, p < .10). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that contrary to expectations, sleep improvements following CBT-I were associated with reduced parasympathetic activation and increased sympathovagal balance. Although preliminary, these results raise the question as to whether insomnia treatment might play a role in physiological changes associated with cardiovascular anomalies. Future research is needed to examine the long-term impact of treatment as a preventative tool against insomnia-related morbidity. (PsycINFO Database Record

Cognitive-behavior therapy singly and combined with medication for persistent insomnia: Impact on psychological and daytime functioning.

While impairment of daytime functioning due to poor sleep is often the main determinant for seeking treatment, few studies have examined the clinical impact of insomnia therapies on daytime outcomes. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), alone and combined with medication, on various indices of daytime and psychological functioning. Participants were 160 individuals with chronic insomnia who received CBT alone or CBT plus medication (zolpidem) for an initial six-week therapy, followed by an extended six-month therapy. Participants treated with CBT initially received maintenance CBT or no additional treatment and those treated with combined therapy initially continued with CBT plus intermittent medication (prn) or CBT without medication (taper). Measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms, fatigue, quality of life, and perceived impact of sleep difficulties on various indices of daytime functioning were completed at baseline, after each treatment stage, and at six-month follow-up. Following acute treatment, significant improvements of fatigue, quality of life (mental component), anxiety, and depression were obtained in the CBT alone condition but not in the combined CBT plus medication condition. Following extended treatment, further improvements were noted for the subgroup receiving extended CBT relative to that with no additional treatment, and for the subgroup receiving CBT and intermittent medication relative to that with CBT but no medication. Improvements were well maintained at the 6-month follow-up. These findings indicate that insomnia-specific therapy is effective at improving daytime and psychological functioning in the short term, and that maintenance therapy produces an added value to optimize long-term outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT 00042146).

Sequential combinations of drug and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: an exploratory study.

This study explores the efficacy of sequential treatments involving medication and cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for primary insomnia. Seventeen participants took part in a multiple baseline design and were assigned to: (a) medication for 5 weeks, followed by combined medication plus CBT for 5 weeks; (b) combined treatment for 5 weeks, followed by CBT alone; or (c) CBT alone. Each treatment sequence produced significant sleep improvements, but at different points in time. For the first sequence, most of the sleep improvement was obtained after the introduction of CBT, while for the other sequence and CBT alone, improvement appeared during the first weeks. These results suggest that sleep improvement seems affected by the way treatments are combined. Also, a sequence beginning with a combined treatment followed by CBT alone seems to produce the best outcome. Additional research should be conducted with larger samples to determine the most effective sequence.