New research study presents Bedtime Window, a digital CBTi program, as an effective option to sleeping pills for dealing with insomnia and co-morbid conditions, providing significant, long-term improvements in sleep quality and psychological health without the need for medication.Are sleeping pills the only solution for insomnia?” We understand that CBTi improves sleeping disorders, mental health and quality of life and we desire to see more individuals accessing this treatment because it can decrease the need for sleeping tablets or other interventions which might not take on long-lasting sleep issues,” he says.Insomnia and Comorbid ConditionsInsomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are the two most widespread sleep disorders and frequently co-occur.” People with co-morbid sleeping disorders and sleep apnoea (COMISA) usually have even worse sleep, daytime function, psychological health, physical health, productivity and quality of life when compared to individuals with neither sleep disorder, and frequently when compared to people with either insomnia-alone or OSA-alone,” says Dr Sweetman.
New research introduces Bedtime Window, a digital CBTi program, as an effective option to sleeping tablets for dealing with insomnia and co-morbid conditions, offering substantial, long-term improvements in sleep quality and mental health without the requirement for medication.Are sleeping pills the only service for insomnia? Not according to Flinders Universitys Dr Alexander Sweetman, who says that utilizing self-guided digital behavior modification is an alternative solution that must be considered.Despite a wealth of proof supporting the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral treatment for sleeping disorders (CBTi), access to this first line treatment is exceptionally restricted due to a shortage of CBTi-trained psychologists.In Australia, around 90 percent of primary care patients with sleeping disorders are handled with sleeping pills while only 1 percent are described psychologists for CBTi.Dr Alexander Sweetman. Credit: Flinders UniversityTo increase ease of access to CBTi and decrease the reliance on sleeping pills, sleep professionals at Flinders University and the University of Western Australia created and checked the efficiency of a self-guided digital CBTi program called Bedtime Window to deal with sleeping disorders.” We evaluated a new CBTi program in individuals with sleeping disorders signs throughout Australia and discovered it really easy to utilize, delivering sustained and significant enhancements in sleep, daytime function, and psychological health,” states Dr Alexander Sweetman, who led the most current research study published today in Frontiers in Sleep.” We understand that CBTi improves sleeping disorders, psychological health and quality of life and we wish to see more people accessing this treatment because it can decrease the requirement for sleeping pills or other interventions which might not tackle long-lasting sleep issues,” he says.Insomnia and Comorbid ConditionsInsomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are the two most prevalent sleep conditions and frequently co-occur. Around 30-40 percent of people with sleeping disorders have co-morbid OSA however the majority of people with OSA stay undiagnosed and untreated.” People with co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea (COMISA) normally have even worse sleep, daytime function, psychological health, physical health, efficiency and quality of life when compared to people with neither sleep disorder, and often when compared to individuals with either insomnia-alone or OSA-alone,” says Dr Sweetman.” Recent research studies found that individuals with COMISA experience a 50-70 percent increased risk of mortality over 10-20 years of follow-up, compared to individuals with neither condition.Bedtime Window Program Schematic. Credit: Flinders University” Given the high frequency and unfavorable health threats of COMISA, it is vital that we develop and implement an efficient evidence-based management method for this condition,” he states.” To increase CBTi gain access to for individuals with COMISA, we established the self-guided interactive digital CBTi program that is appropriate for people with insomnia-alone and COMISA and compared its effectiveness between individuals with insomnia-alone, versus comorbid insomnia and high-risk sleep apnoea.” 62 adults with sleeping disorders symptoms utilized Bedroom Window over an 18-month period and reported sustained and substantial enhancements in signs of sleeping disorders and associated mental health signs.” The program is designed for individuals with insomnia-alone and COMISA. Each weekly session lasts for around 20-30 minutes and includes brief videos, images, and text-based details,” he states.” Treatment elements include psychoeducation, stimulus control treatment, sleep constraint treatment, relaxation treatment, cognitive treatment, and sleep health info.” The program consists of algorithms that continuously evaluate for symptoms of sleepiness and alertness and supplies tailored and interactive recommendations to treat insomnia without worsening levels of daytime sleepiness.” The positive results of our study highlight the possible to investigate the effectiveness, safety, and reputation of this digital CBTi program in individuals with a verified diagnosis of OSA, before increasing access to individuals with COMISA throughout the health system,” adds Dr Sweetman.Reference: “Effect of high-risk sleep apnea on treatment-response to a customized digital cognitive behavior modification for insomnia program: a quasi-experimental trial” by Alexander Sweetman, Chelsea Reynolds, Leon Lack, Andrew Vakulin, Ching Li Chai-Coetzer, Douglas M. Wallace, Megan Crawford and Cele Richardson, 14 February 2024, Frontiers in Sleep.DOI: 10.3389/ frsle.2024.1355468.
