Brief insomnia treatment for Veterans with PTSD
Official title: Brief Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Funded at Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco · NIH-11310801 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-friendly, short program using video and phone calls to help Veterans who have insomnia and PTSD sleep better and feel more able to function in daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004243-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310801 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Veterans with both Insomnia Disorder and PTSD who can commit to video and phone sessions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to video/phone technology or those not meeting both insomnia and PTSD criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a brief behavioral insomnia treatment delivered by video and phone to Veterans who meet insomnia and PTSD criteria. Participants are randomly assigned to the active treatment or a matched relaxation control to compare outcomes. The study measures psychosocial functioning as the main outcome and insomnia severity as a key secondary outcome, with follow-up to see if benefits last. Sleep patterns are tracked through diaries, and assessments occur at several time points. The goal is to determine if improving sleep translates into better overall functioning and reduced suicidal thoughts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Veterans could experience lasting improvements in sleep and daily functioning, with possible reductions in suicidal ideation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous brief behavioral treatments for insomnia show benefits; this study tests a Veteran-focused, remote delivery approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maguen, Shira — Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Maguen, Shira
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving sleep in veterans with PTSD through brief behavioral treatment
This study is looking at a short treatment to help veterans with PTSD sleep better, using video and phone sessions, and it will compare how well this treatment works against a relaxation training program.
-
Exploring how insomnia treatment affects heart and metabolic health in older adults with PTSD
This study is looking at how treating insomnia can help improve heart and metabolic health in older adults with PTSD, and it's designed for those who struggle with sleep and want to feel better both mentally and physically.
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Evaluating insomnia treatment to lower heart disease risk in PTSD patients
This study is looking at how helping people with PTSD sleep better can also lower their chances of heart problems, using a special therapy called CBT-I to improve their sleep and checking their heart health along the way.
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Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation for PTSD in Veterans
A non-invasive device gently stimulates the vagus nerve to help reduce PTSD symptoms in veterans.
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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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DESCANSO: A friendly CBT plan to ease depression, sleep problems, and fatigue in Latino cancer patients
A Spanish-speaking CBT program called DESCANSO is being tested to help Latino cancer patients feel less tired, sleep better, and happier.
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.