Clinical Edge

Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions

Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia, Comorbid Symptoms

Sleep; ePub 2018 Mar 29; Taylor, Peterson, et al

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) was an effective treatment for insomnia and comorbid symptoms including daytime fatigue, general mental health, and nicotine and caffeine use, according to a recent study. Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial of active duty US Army personnel at Fort Hood, TX. They found:

  • The study replicated original (n=66) findings (CBTi outperformed control) in a follow-on sample (n=85) on diary-assessed sleep efficiency, total sleep time, sleep latency, number of awakenings, wake time after sleep onset, sleep quality, and the Insomnia Severity Index in active duty soldiers.
  • CBTi also outperformed control in the combined sample (n= 151) on 4 of the 5 subscales of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and the mental health subscale on the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey.
  • Exploratory analyses also showed CBTi outperformed control on nicotine and caffeine use reduction.
  • Significant within-group differences were found for both groups on depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms, but there was no group by time interaction for these symptoms or for use of hypnotics or alcohol.
Citation:

Taylor DJ, Peterson AL, Pruiksma KE, et al. Impact of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia disorder on sleep and comorbid symptoms in military personnel: A randomized clinical trial. [Published online ahead of print March 29, 2018]. Sleep. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsy069.