Helping older adults safely stop using sleep medications
Official title: Enhancing Hypnotic Medication Discontinuation in Primary Care through Supervised Medication Tapering and Digital Cognitive Behavioral Insomnia Therapy
Funded at National Jewish Health · NIH-10894918 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is helping older adults who want to stop using sleep medications by offering a safe way to reduce their use while also providing online therapy to improve their sleep naturally.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $538,289 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA057266-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10894918 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 65 and above who are currently using hypnotic medications for insomnia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not using hypnotic medications or those under 65 years of age may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to assist older adults who have been using hypnotic medications for insomnia by providing a structured approach to tapering off these medications under medical supervision. It combines physician-supervised medication tapering with digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, making it easier for patients to access effective non-drug treatments. The study will involve a large randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of this combined approach in primary care settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help older patients safely discontinue hypnotic medications, reducing dependency and improving overall health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that physician-supervised tapering and cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective, indicating a promising approach for this study.
Where this research is happening
-
National Jewish Health
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Elizabeth Devon — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Smith, Elizabeth Devon
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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.