Improving sleep to lower diabetes risk
Official title: Sleep for Health: A randomized clinical trial examining the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on diabetes risk
Funded at Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-11289310 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program gives adults with prediabetes and insomnia a six-session online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia to see if improving sleep lowers blood sugar.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $703,883 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK132229-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11289310 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21 years and older) with prediabetes who also have symptoms of insomnia and can use an online program are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without prediabetes, without insomnia, or those who already have diagnosed type 2 diabetes are unlikely to benefit from this trial’s intervention.
What this research studies
If you have prediabetes and trouble sleeping, you could join a trial that randomly assigns you to a six-session digital CBT-I program or to an online patient-education website. The study plans to enroll about 300 adults and will collect measures at the start, after 10 weeks (when the program ends), and again at 32 weeks. Researchers will track blood sugar levels, objective and self-reported sleep, and lifestyle factors like diet to see how sleep changes relate to glucose. Participation mainly involves completing the online program and coming in (or providing samples) for blood and sleep measurements on the scheduled visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar in people with prediabetes through better sleep.
How similar studies have gone: A prior feasibility study showed promising signs that treating insomnia may improve glucose, but this larger randomized trial is the first definitive test in people with prediabetes.
Where this research is happening
-
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
Oakland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leblanc, Erin S — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Leblanc, Erin S
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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.