The Sleep Course: Examining an online sleep intervention for adults with sleep difficulties

Why was the study done?

Insomnia is a common issue that affects around 1 in 10 adults, causing poor sleep quality, distress, and impairment during waking hours. Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has been shown to be effective for treating insomnia, although its efficacy can vary based on patient characteristics and relatively little research has examined its use in routine care settings in Canada. This study aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes of the Sleep Course when delivered in routine care.

What was done in the study?

All participants were given access to the Sleep Course, a seven-week ICBT interactive intervention that teaches cognitive and behavioural strategies to reduce insomnia-related difficulties. In addition to the lesson materials, participants were able to check in with a designated e-therapist once a week. Participants were evaluated before, during, and after treatment for long-term changes to their insomnia symptoms.

What did we find out?

Results showed that insomnia symptoms significantly decreased over time, and these reductions kept until 3 months after treatment. After treatment, 45% of participants achieved clinically meaningful improvement in insomnia symptoms at post-treatment, increasing to 54% at the three-month follow-up assessment. We also found that participants showed high satisfaction and lesson completion for the intervention.

Where do we go from here?

These findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the Sleep Course in routine care. Future studies should investigate how different treatment and patient characteristics can affect treatment outcomes and effective delivery of ICBT for insomnia.