Intensive Sleep Retraining treatment for chronic primary insomnia: a preliminary investigation.
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Intensive Sleep Retraining, a novel, short duration behavioural therapy in treating chronic primary insomnia. Seventeen consecutive volunteers from the general public (mean age = 39.1 years), meeting selection criteria for chronic primary insomnia participated in the treatment study. The study was performed as a case replication series. Assessment involved sleep diary, actigraph and questionnaire measures of sleep and daytime functioning for a period of 2 weeks prior to, immediately after, and 6 weeks following the treatment. Treatment involved a single night of sleep deprivation, facilitating short sleep latencies (mean: 6.9 min) to a series of 50 brief nap opportunities. Following treatment, Sleep Onset Latency significantly decreased by a mean of 30.5 min (SD = 28.3), Wake Time after Sleep Onset significantly decreased by a mean of 28 min (SD = 34.0), and Total Sleep Time significantly increased by 64.6 min (SD = 45.5). Significant improvements were also seen in the daytime functioning and psychological measures of fatigue and vigour, cognitive sleep anticipatory anxiety and self-efficacy for sleep. This brief therapy was effective in improving sleep and some daytime functioning and psychological questionnaire measures. These improvements were maintained up to 2 months following the treatment weekend. Further exploration of this brief therapy is needed, with larger, randomized, placebo-controlled trials over longer follow-up periods, and in comparison to other traditional therapies for insomnia.
Harris
Jodie
J
School of Psychology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia. jodie.harrsi@flinders.edu.au
Lack
Leon
L
Wright
Helen
H
Gradisar
Michael
M
Brooks
Amber
A
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012894:Sleep Stages; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome