Preventing and Treating Insomnia Symptoms in Midlife and Older Adults (ASLEEP): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Sleep Science
• Digital Health Interventions
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Background:

• Sleep is crucial for health and cognitive function, particularly in older adults.
• Insomnia is prevalent in older adults, negatively impacting health and quality of life.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is effective but limited by resource demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the protocol for developing and evaluating ASLEEP, a tiered, digitally delivered CBT-I intervention.
• To reduce insomnia severity and improve health outcomes in adults aged 50 and older.
• To enhance accessibility of evidence-based insomnia treatment through digital platforms.

Main Methods:

• A 2-phase project: Phase 1 involves optimizing ASLEEP and integrating with the PROTECT Norge platform.
• Phase 2 is a 2-arm, waitlist-controlled randomized trial with 400 participants (aged 50+).
• Primary outcome: Insomnia Severity Index; secondary outcomes: sleep medication use, depression, anxiety, cognition.

Main Results:

• Project initiated January 2026; Phase 1 (intervention optimization) is underway as of February 2026.
• Phase 2 randomized controlled trial recruitment and data collection are planned to commence post-Phase 1.
• Data collection completion is targeted for summer 2028, with results dissemination in winter 2028.

Conclusions:

• The ASLEEP trial will assess the short- and long-term effectiveness of a digital CBT-I intervention.
• ASLEEP has the potential to be a scalable model for accessible insomnia prevention and treatment.
• Leveraging digital platforms like PROTECT Norge can overcome barriers to CBT-I delivery.