Buying Time: Improving Sleep to Promote Cognitive Function in Older Adults

University of British Columbia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aging; Sleep

Treatments: Behavioral: Life Style and Sleep Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02926157

H16-01029

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a comprehensive group education combined with a lifestyle "activation" program that includes (a) sleep hygiene course, (b) physical activity promotion, and (c) bright light therapy, can improve both sleep quality and cognitive function among 96 community-dwelling older adults.

Full description

96 community-dwelling older adults with sleep complaints will be randomized into either a 6-month life style and sleep activation intervention program or a waitlist control group (participants in this group will be offered an abbreviated version of the program upon completion of the 6 month study). There are 3 measurement sessions to measure cognition, sleep, and physical activity at the onset of the study, the midway (3 month) point, and completion (at 6 months).

Enrollment: 96 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 85 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Sleep complaints
• Community-dwelling (not in a long term care facility)
• Read, write, and speak English
• Able to walk independently
• In sufficient health to participate in regular physical activity

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea
• Receiving continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) treatment
• Diagnosed with dementia of any type
• At high risk for cardiac complications during physical activity or unable to self-regulate activity or understand recommended activity level
• Have a clinically important peripheral neuropathy or sever musculoskeletal or joint disease that impairs mobility

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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96 participants in 2 patient groups

Life Style and Sleep Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized into this group will undergo a 4 week sleep hygiene course (classes 1x/week for 1.5 hours), followed by a 20 week lifestyle activation program. During the 20 week lifestyle activation program, participants wear a Fit Bit and receive a call from a fitness professional every other week for motivation and recommendations, and receive a bright light therapy program from a sleep expert based on their initial sleep results at the baseline measurement session.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Life Style and Sleep Intervention

Wait-list Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants randomized into this group will complete all measurement sessions. After completion of the final measurement session (6 months), participants will be offered an abbreviated version of the Life Style and Sleep Group intervention including the sleep hygiene course, consultation with sleep expert to go over individual sleep patterns and be given recommendations, along with physical activity recommendations from a fitness expert.