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Sleep to Lower Elevated Blood Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial (SLEPT).
Emer R McGrath1,2,3,4, Colin A Espie5,6, Alice Power7
1HRB Clinical Research Facility, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland.
American Journal of Hypertension
|April 10, 2017
Summary
A web-based sleep intervention improved sleep quality and mental health in adults with mild sleep issues. However, it did not significantly lower blood pressure in the short term.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Impaired sleep quality is linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, potentially via hypertension.
- Web-delivered interventions offer a scalable approach to address sleep disturbances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if a web-delivered sleep intervention reduces blood pressure compared to standard care.
- To assess the intervention's impact on sleep quality and psychosocial health.
Main Methods:
- A Phase II randomized, blinded, controlled trial involving 134 participants with mild sleep impairment and elevated blood pressure.
- Intervention group received sleep hygiene education, stimulus control, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Control group received only vascular risk factor education. Primary outcome: change in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) over 8 weeks.
Main Results:
- The sleep intervention group showed significant improvements in sleep quality metrics (ISI, PSQI, sleep condition indicator).
- Psychosocial health also improved, with reductions in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores.
- No significant difference in mean 24-hour ambulatory SBP change was observed between the intervention and control groups.
Conclusions:
- A low-cost, web-delivered sleep intervention is feasible and effective for improving sleep quality and psychosocial well-being.
- The intervention did not demonstrate short-term efficacy in reducing blood pressure in this population.