Behavioral therapy and trazodone for insomnia types that affect sleep time and blood pressure
Official title: 2/2 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trazodone Effects on Sleep and Blood Pressure in Insomnia Phenotypes Based on Objective Sleep Duration: A Sequential Cohort/Randomized Controlled Trial
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11168708 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research will compare cognitive behavioral therapy and the medication trazodone to help adults with insomnia and high blood pressure sleep more and lower their blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $440,448 |
| NIH project number | 5U24HL161359-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168708 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 18 and older) who have chronic insomnia and elevated blood pressure and can attend one of the study sites are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without insomnia, without elevated blood pressure, or those unwilling to undergo sleep testing, therapy sessions, or medication would likely not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
You would first join a four-site program where your sleep is measured objectively to see if you have short or normal sleep duration. Everyone receives cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and we track sleep time, blood pressure, and stress-hormone markers. People who do not improve after CBT-I may be randomized to take trazodone or a placebo to see if the medication helps them more. The study follows participants over time with clinic visits and objective sleep and blood-pressure measurements.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show which treatment better restores sleep and lowers blood pressure for specific insomnia types, enabling more personalized care.
How similar studies have gone: CBT-I is widely recommended and helps many people, but smaller pilot data suggest trazodone may better increase objective sleep time and lower blood pressure in the short-sleep insomnia phenotype where CBT-I may work less well.
Where this research is happening
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University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wisniewski, Stephen R — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Wisniewski, Stephen R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy and trazodone for insomnia phenotypes with high blood pressure
A clinical study tests how CBT-I and the sleep drug trazodone work for adults with insomnia and high blood pressure, focusing on a specific sleep duration pattern.
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Insomnia subtypes and sleep meds: CBT-I and trazodone for adults with high blood pressure
We’re testing whether a sleep therapy (CBT-I) and the antidepressant trazodone help adults with insomnia and high blood pressure, especially those with the short-sleep-insomnia subtype.
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Trazodone for Sleep and Blood Pressure in Insomnia Subtypes
This program tests how CBT-I and trazodone help sleep and blood pressure in adults with insomnia, focusing on those with short sleep duration versus normal sleep duration.
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Sleep therapy versus trazodone for short-sleep insomnia and high blood pressure
This project compares a talk-based sleep program (CBT-I) and the medication trazodone to help adults with insomnia who also have elevated blood pressure, especially those who sleep less at night.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy and trazodone for insomnia-related short sleep and high blood pressure
This project compares talk-based sleep therapy and the medication trazodone to help adults with insomnia sleep longer and lower their blood pressure, especially if they sleep less than usual.
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Effects of therapy and medication on sleep and blood pressure in people with insomnia
This study is looking at how two different treatments—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and the medication trazodone—can help improve sleep quality and lower blood pressure in adults who struggle with insomnia, especially those who don’t get enough sleep.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.