Mindfulness-Based Approaches to Insomnia

The conceptual model for this study identifies two possible targets of treatment: arousal and sleep. In this model, BT for insomnia directly targets nighttime symptoms of insomnia (BT pathway), which improves sleep by increasing the homeostatic drive for sleep. Although BT is hypothesized to indirectly reduce arousal, no study has specifically investigated this effect. In contrast, MBSR is an intervention that is hypothesized to target arousal and, as preliminary findings suggest, also improves some symptoms of insomnia (MBSR pathway). It is therefore hypothesized that a combination of BT and mindfulness is superior to each treatment alone as it targets both nighttime symptoms and hyperarousal (Mindfulness + BT pathway). Our preliminary data suggests that this combination treatment has effects on both self-reported arousal and sleep. Conceptually, this novel approach would provide a set of self-regulating skills that could potentially target a broader range of daytime and nighttime symptoms that is characteristic of an insomnia disorder.

To test the conceptual model, this study employs a randomized clinical trial design with three conditions: 1) Mindfulness-Based Therapy for insomnia (MBT-I), 2) mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and 3) delayed-treatment condition followed by behavior therapy for insomnia (BT-I). Each of the three treatments will be delivered in a group format with 8 weekly sessions spanning an 8-week period.