What this study is
This two-arm randomized trial will provide digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to all participants and passive body heating (PBH) sessions using a sauna blanket to half of participants over a 9-week treatment period. Participants are adults aged 18 years or older with insomnia disorder.
What's being tested
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Intervention · BEHAVIORAL
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a behavioral (psychotherapeutic) intervention for insomnia disorder. Participants will complete digital CBT-I online using the Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) program.
- Passive Body Heating (PBH)
Intervention · DEVICE
Passive body heating (PBH) is a body-based treatment that participants will complete using a sauna blanket, which is similar in form factor to an adult-sized sleeping bag (head is not within the heated area). Participants will complete at least three 15-minute PBH sessions per week. Participants will complete PBH sessions in the sauna blanket placed on the floor or on a couch (i.e., not in their bed) at a setting of Level 6, 1-2 hours before bed.
Study details
- Sponsor
- University of California, San Francisco
- Conditions
- Insomnia Disorder
- Enrolling
- 40 people
- Starts
- 2025-09-29
- Est. completion
- 2027-07
- Design
- Single-blind, randomized, parallel groups
- Record
- View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Who can join
Age 18 Years and overSex ALLHealthy volunteers Not acceptedYou may qualify if
- 18 years or older
- English-speaking
- Willing to use birth control if assigned female sex at birth
- Willing to receive study text messages during participation
- Location to plug sauna blanket into regular wall outlet
- Ability to lie in sauna blanket for 15 minutes
- Ability to fit in the sauna blanket
- Daily access to the internet via computer, smartphone, or tablet
- Elevated insomnia symptoms as indexed by a score of 11 or greater on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at two screening timepoints
- Primary insomnia disorder (characterized by difficulty initiating sleep) as indexed by a positive diagnosis on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Sleep Disorders (SCISD)
You can't join if
- Night shift or swing shift worker
- Current or planned routine body heating practices (e.g., saunas, hot tubs, long baths) within 4 hours before bed that are 10 minutes or more in duration (≥2x per week)
- Pregnant or plans to become pregnant during the participation period
- Traveling internationally between screening assessment and anticipated post-intervention assessment, or during anticipated post-follow-up assessment period (~1 week)
- Other diagnosed sleep disorders or suspected sleep disorders
- Medical conditions that might increase the risk of passive body heating using an infrared sauna blanket
- Medication use that might increase the risk of passive body heating using an infrared sauna blanket
- Mental health disorder that may better explain insomnia, require priority treatment, or be exacerbated by time in bed restriction
- Medical condition that may better explain insomnia, require priority treatment, or be exacerbated by time in bed restriction
- Lifetime diagnosis of a bipolar disorder, psychosis, or other psychotic disorder
- Current (past 3 months) major depressive disorder
- Current (past 12 months) suicidality, alcohol use disorder, other substance use disorder (except mild cannabis use disorder), panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders
- If using medications for mental health treatment (e.g., antidepressant medication) must have been on a stable dose for prior 8 weeks
- Currently receiving cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
Sign in and we'll check these against your records.Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Study locations (1)
1 openOsher Center for Integrative Health
San Francisco, California, United States
- Sarah M Fisher, MS · Contact415-476-1218sleeps@ucsf.edu
Recruiting
Study team
Sponsor
University of California, San Francisco
Study ID 24-41821 B
Principal investigator
Ashley E Mason, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Frequently asked questions
The sponsor hasn't published answers to common questions for this trial.