Improving sleep to help people reduce heavy drinking
Sleep as a Mechanism of Change in Alcohol Use Outcomes among Heavy-Drinking Adults
This project tests whether a proven talk-based sleep treatment can help adults who drink heavily and have insomnia cut back on drinking and protect their heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11146585 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, adults with heavy drinking and insomnia will be randomly assigned to receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) or be placed on a waitlist. You would attend multiple treatment sessions and report daily sleep and drinking patterns while researchers collect measures at mid-treatment, after treatment, and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. The team will look at whether sleep improves first and whether those sleep changes lead to less drinking, whether men and women respond differently, and whether sleep treatment affects blood pressure and other heart-related measures. Daily surveys and clinical visits will be used to track sleep, alcohol use, and cardiovascular outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older who drink heavily and have clinically significant insomnia symptoms are the ideal candidates for this project.
Not a fit: People without insomnia, younger than 21, or who do not engage in heavy drinking are unlikely to benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the sleep therapy could offer a low-stigma way to reduce heavy drinking, improve sleep, and possibly improve cardiovascular health.
How similar studies have performed: CBT-I is well established for improving sleep, and early research suggests sleep treatment may help reduce substance use, but large randomized trials linking CBT-I to reduced alcohol use are still limited.
Where this research is happening
Columbia, United States
- University of Missouri-Columbia — Columbia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Mary Elizabeth — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Miller, Mary Elizabeth
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.