Testing an early online intervention for the treatment of disturbed sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (Sleep COVID-19): structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Greg J Elder,Pamela Alfonso-Miller,William C M Atkinson,Nayantara Santhi,Jason G Ellis

doi:10.1186/s13063-020-04644-0

Greg J Elder, Pamela Alfonso-Miller + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-020-04644-0

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Abstract

Testing an early online intervention for the treatment of disturbed sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (Sleep COVID-19): structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Highlights

The primary aim of the present study is to examine the efficacy of an online intervention for poor sleep in the context of an ongoing stressful major life event, by assessing if this intervention can reduce insomnia severity at short-term and long-term followup time points
It is hypothesised that the intervention will: 1) reduce insomnia severity in poor sleepers, compared to wait-list control poor sleepers, and good sleepers; 2) reduce subjective symptoms of anxiety and depression in all groups, and 3) prevent the transition to acute insomnia in good sleepers
Individuals who self-report as poor sleepers will meet DSM-5 criteria for acute insomnia, which is where individuals: 1) have difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or awakening too early for at least three nights per week, for a time period of between two weeks and three months; and 2) report experiencing distress or impairment caused by sleep loss

Summary

Introduction

Testing an early online intervention for the treatment of disturbed sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (Sleep COVID-19): structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial It is hypothesised that the intervention will: 1) reduce insomnia severity in poor sleepers, compared to wait-list control poor sleepers, and good sleepers; 2) reduce subjective symptoms of anxiety and depression in all groups, and 3) prevent the transition to acute insomnia in good sleepers. Trial design: This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial. Participants: Both healthy good sleepers, who do not report having any current sleep problems, and individuals who report having sleep problems, will be recruited for the present study.

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