Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery

University of Auckland, New Zealand

Status: Completed

Conditions: Insomnia; Sleep Deprivation

Treatments: Behavioral: Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01648062

IISleepTrial12

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomised controlled trial assessed the efficacy of four mental imagery techniques for improving sleep and its related behaviour: (1) imagery focused on reducing arousal levels; (2) imagery incorporating implementation intentions (a strategy designed to link specified behaviour with the anticipated context) for sleep-related behaviour; (3) a combination of imagery using arousal reduction and implementation intention strategies; or (4) a condition where participants were asked to imagine their typical post work activities.

Full description

Sleep deprivation is a significant health issue in the modern workplace. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of techniques involving mental imagery promoting relaxation (arousal reduction; AR) and simulation of the appropriate sleep behavior in the likely environments (implementation intentions; II) in a population of daytime employees

Enrollment: 104 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ability to read and write in English;
• full-time employment;
• work shifts during daytime hours (i.e., participants were excluded if they worked night shifts either through the organization or through a secondary job) in a position that provided daily access to email;
• a score of five or greater on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) which indicates at least moderate difficulties in two or more areas (e.g., sleep quality and daytime dysfunction);

Exclusion criteria

• An identifiable biological cause of current sleep deprivation (e.g., sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or pregnancy)
• An identified psychological disorder
• Caring for a child under the age of 5 or have a reason outside of work that caused them to regularly lack sleep.
• Incomplete data (over 50% of daily data missing or missing final follow-up assessment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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104 participants in 4 patient groups

Arousal reduction using guided imagery

Active Comparator group

Description:

Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in the arousal reduction condition were instructed to imagine wearing a backpack loaded with their worries, then putting the heavy backpack down, and then experiencing the relief and freedom from tension.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery

Mental simulation of sleep behavior

Active Comparator group

Description:

Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition received instructions to visualize a specific behavioral plan designed to meet the goal of obtaining quality sleep each night through the practice of certain behaviors. To form the behavioral plan, participants visualised changing into comfortable clothes and taking time to relax prior to going to bed, the time they planned to go to sleep, where they planned to sleep, and the bedtime routine they follow to help them to get to sleep. At bedtime, they were instructed to mentally run through a checklist of these behaviors and then do any behaviors that they had not yet completed.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery

Combination

Active Comparator group

Description:

Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to practice a combination of the guided imagery (for relaxation) and mental simulation imagery for sleep-related behaviour

Treatment:

Behavioral: Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery

Control

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to imagine a typical post work activity

Treatment:

Behavioral: Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery