Improving nighttime bathroom trips and sleep for older adults
A multi-center trial to improve nocturia and sleep in older adults
A behavioral sleep-and-bladder program aims to reduce nighttime bathroom trips and help older adults sleep more soundly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177047 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This multi-center project offers a cross-specialty behavioral program that targets both sleep habits and bladder-related behaviors to reduce waking at night to urinate. It uses cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia techniques (for example, reducing daytime napping and limiting time in bed) together with bladder self-management strategies. Participants will be followed over time at participating sites to record how often they wake to urinate and how their sleep changes. The approach emphasizes non-drug methods to avoid medication side effects common in older adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults who wake two or more times per night to urinate and who can attend or participate in behavioral treatment sessions.
Not a fit: People whose nighttime urination is due to acute medical causes, uncontrolled diabetes, severe heart or kidney disease, or ongoing diuretic therapy may not receive benefit from this behavioral approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce nighttime bathroom trips and improve sleep without relying on medications that can cause side effects in older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia has been shown to improve sleep and early studies suggest it can also reduce nocturia, but large multicenter trials are limited.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vaughan, Elizabeth Camille — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Vaughan, Elizabeth Camille
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 below.