Behavioral Sleep Therapies During the Perinatal Period: A Scoping Review

Jennifer N Felder1,2, Bernadette McClelland1, Candance Sorensen1

  • 1Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA.

PubMed

Insights

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) improves perinatal sleep, with benefits peaking around six months postpartum. Mindfulness-Based Interventions may reduce insomnia during pregnancy.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Health
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Psychological Interventions

Background:

  • Perinatal insomnia is a prevalent and impactful condition affecting women during pregnancy and postpartum.
  • Behavioral sleep therapies offer potential non-pharmacological solutions for managing sleep disturbances in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review randomized controlled trials of behavioral sleep therapies for perinatal insomnia published since 2020.
  • To synthesize findings on the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) in perinatal samples.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from 2020 onwards.
  • Included studies focused on behavioral sleep therapies, specifically CBT-I and MBI, in perinatal populations.
  • Analysis of reported outcomes related to insomnia severity, sleep quality, and mental health.

Main Results:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) demonstrated effectiveness in improving perinatal sleep, with benefits observed around six months postpartum.
  • Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) showed potential for reducing insomnia severity during pregnancy in adequately powered trials.
  • The impact of these interventions on mental health outcomes was mixed, potentially due to variations in study design and assessment timing.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral sleep therapies, particularly CBT-I and MBI, are effective options for addressing perinatal insomnia.
  • Further research is needed to evaluate long-term effectiveness, real-world applicability, and impacts on offspring.
  • Future studies should also clarify indications for MBI versus CBT-I and rigorously assess mental health benefits.
Abstract