Sleep and insomnia treatment to help heavy drinkers reduce alcohol use
Official title: Sleep as a Mechanism of Change in Alcohol Use Outcomes among Heavy-Drinking Adults
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11384848 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether treating insomnia with CBT-I can help adults who drink heavily cut down on alcohol use and improve heart and sleep 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 start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $431,619 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030525-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384848 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older who drink heavily and have insomnia and are willing to participate in CBT-I or a waitlist control.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without insomnia or with different sleep or alcohol-use patterns may not benefit.
What this research studies
Heavy drinking affects many adults and insomnia is common among those at risk. The study will follow adults with heavy drinking and insomnia, comparing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to a waitlist control over five years. Researchers will track sleep, drinking, mood, and cardiovascular indicators at several time points during and after treatment to understand how sleep changes relate to alcohol outcomes. If CBT-I helps reduce drinking and improves health, it could offer a practical way to engage people in care who are reluctant to seek mental health treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, improving sleep may reduce alcohol use and lower cardiovascular risk for heavy-drinking adults with insomnia.
How similar studies have gone: Past work shows CBT-I can improve sleep and may influence alcohol-related outcomes, but combining sleep treatment with alcohol outcomes in this way is an advancing area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Mary Elizabeth — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Miller, Mary Elizabeth
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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.