Dataset Information

Intraindividual variability in sleep schedule: effects of an internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia program and its relation with symptom remission.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

Sleep schedule consistency is fundamental to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), although there is limited evidence suggesting whether it predicts treatment response. This analysis tested whether: (1) an Internet-based CBT-I program affects intraindividual variability (IIV) in sleep schedule and (2) sleep schedule IIV predicts insomnia symptom remission.

Methods

This secondary analysis compares participants (N = 303) randomized to an Internet-based CBT-I program (SHUTi-Sleep Healthy Using the Internet) or Internet-based patient education (PE). Participants reported daily bedtimes and rising times on 10 online sleep diaries collected over 2 weeks at baseline and 9-week post-intervention assessment. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at post-assessment and 6-month follow-up; symptom remission was defined by ISI < 8. Mixed effects location scale modeling was used to examine the effect of SHUTi on bedtime and rising time IIV; a novel two-staged analysis examined the effect of bedtime and rising time IIV on insomnia symptom remission.

Results

At post-assessment, SHUTi participants reported about 30% less bedtime and 32% less rising time variability compared to PE (ps < 0.03). Bedtime and rising time IIV was not independently associated with likelihood of insomnia symptom remission at the subsequent time point (ps > 0.18), nor did sleep schedule IIV moderate treatment response (ps > 0.12).

Conclusions

Findings demonstrate that an Internet-delivered CBT-I program can effectively increase users' sleep schedule consistency relative to an educational control. This consistency, however, was not related to treatment outcome when defined by insomnia symptom remission, suggesting that enforcing rigid sleep schedules for patients may not be necessary for treatment success.

Clinical trial registration

NCT00328250.

SUBMITTER: Shaffer KM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7734473 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Insomnia is a major health problem with significant psychological, health, and economic consequences. However, availability of one of the most effective insomnia treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, is significantly limited. The Internet may be a key conduit for delivering this intervention.To evaluate the efficacy of a structured behavioral Internet intervention for adults with insomnia.Forty-five adults were randomly assigned to an Internet intervention (n = 22) or wait-list control group (n = 23). Forty-four eligible participants (mean [SD] age, 44.86 [11.03] years; 34 women) who had a history of sleep difficulties longer than 10 years on average (mean [SD], 10.59 [8.89] years) were included in the analyses.The Internet intervention is based on well-established face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy incorporating the primary components of sleep restriction, stimulus control, sleep hygiene, cognitive restructuring, and relapse prevention.The Insomnia Severity Index and daily sleep diary data were used to determine changes in insomnia severity and the main sleep variables, including wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency.Intention-to-treat analyses showed that scores on the Insomnia Severity Index significantly improved from 15.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.07 to 17.39) to 6.59 (95% CI, 4.73 to 8.45) for the Internet group but did not change for the control group (16.27 [95% CI, 14.61 to 17.94] to 15.50 [95% CI, 13.64 to 17.36]) (F(1,42) = 29.64; P < .001). The Internet group maintained their gains at the 6-month follow-up. Internet participants also achieved significant decreases in wake after sleep onset (55% [95% CI, 34% to 76%]) and increases in sleep efficiency (16% [95% CI, 9% to 22%]) compared with the nonsignificant control group changes of wake after sleep onset (8% [95% CI, -17% to 33%) and sleep efficiency (3%; 95% CI, -4% to 9%).Participants who received the Internet intervention for insomnia significantly improved their sleep, whereas the control group did not have a significant change. The Internet appears to have considerable potential in delivering a structured behavioral program for insomnia.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00328250.