Sleep Intervention Trial

A health psychologist investigated the effectiveness of different interventions for moderate insomnia. 120 patients who registered at a sleep clinic completed a sleep quality diary which scored their sleep disruption on a scale of 0 (no disruption) to 20 (severe insomnia).

45 patients who had moderate insomnia with scores of 12 or 13 were selected to take part in the trial. They were randomly allocated to one of three conditions:

• Condition 1 (Standard Sleep Hygiene): This consisted of 6 weekly face-to-face group therapy sessions over a 6-week period.
• Condition 2 (Digital App Sleep Hygiene): This consisted of using a self-guided smartphone app over a 3-week period, which sent automated reminders and tips.
• Condition 3 (Control): Patients were placed on a 6-week waiting list and received no intervention during this time.

One week after completing their respective courses of intervention, patients in Condition 1 and Condition 2 completed the sleep quality diary for a second time. Patients in Condition 3 completed the sleep quality diary at the end of the 6-week waiting list period. The post-intervention scores were compared to assess the reduction in sleep disruption.