Back to resultsSleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery
Primary Purpose
Sleep Deprivation, Insomnia
Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
New Zealand
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery
Sponsored by
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Sleep Deprivation focused on measuring Sleep, self-regulation, Implementation intentions, intervention, mental simulation
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- ability to read and write in English;
- full-time employment;
- work shifts during daytime hours (i.e., participants were excluded if they worked night shifts either through the organization or through a secondary job) in a position that provided daily access to email;
- a score of five or greater on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) which indicates at least moderate difficulties in two or more areas (e.g., sleep quality and daytime dysfunction);
Exclusion Criteria:
- An identifiable biological cause of current sleep deprivation (e.g., sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or pregnancy)
- An identified psychological disorder
- Caring for a child under the age of 5 or have a reason outside of work that caused them to regularly lack sleep.
- Incomplete data (over 50% of daily data missing or missing final follow-up assessment
Sites / Locations
- 10 Private Businesses in the Region
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Sham Comparator
Arm Label
Arousal reduction using guided imagery
Mental simulation of sleep behavior
Combination
Control
Arm Description
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in the arousal reduction condition were instructed to imagine wearing a backpack loaded with their worries, then putting the heavy backpack down, and then experiencing the relief and freedom from tension.
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition received instructions to visualize a specific behavioral plan designed to meet the goal of obtaining quality sleep each night through the practice of certain behaviors. To form the behavioral plan, participants visualised changing into comfortable clothes and taking time to relax prior to going to bed, the time they planned to go to sleep, where they planned to sleep, and the bedtime routine they follow to help them to get to sleep. At bedtime, they were instructed to mentally run through a checklist of these behaviors and then do any behaviors that they had not yet completed.
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to practice a combination of the guided imagery (for relaxation) and mental simulation imagery for sleep-related behaviour
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to imagine a typical post work activity
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
Sleep Quality
Assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysse et al, 1989).The PSQI includes 19 items that assess sleep quality, hours of sleep, sleep onset length, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of medication and daytime. Item ratings are recoded and combined to form seven component scores. These scores are then summed into a global score ranging from 0(no difficulty) to 21(severe difficulties in all areas). Daily sleep quality was assessed with five PSQI items.
Secondary Outcome Measures
Negative Sleep Habits
The Sleep Hygiene Index (Mastin et al, 2006). Respondents rate on a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (all the time) how frequently they engaged in 13 behaviors (e.g. "I take naps lasting two or more hours"). Ratings were summed to provide a total negative sleep habit frequency score.
Sleep Efficacy
Participants rated their sleep self-efficacy with the item, "how confident are you that you can take the actions necessary to get a good sleep tonight?" Sleep response efficacy was rated with the item "how confident are you that you will actually get a good sleep tonight?" ratings ranged from 1 (not at all confident) to 10 (very confident), and they were summed; r=.69, p<.01 at baseline and r=.20, p<.05 at final follow-up.
Pre-Sleep Arousal
The Pre-sleep Arousal Scale (Nicasso et al, 1985) includes an 8-item somatic subscale (e.g. "how often in the last week before bed have you had a tight, tense feeling in your muscles?") and an 8-item cognitive subscale (e.g. "how often in the last week before bed do you review or ponder events of the day?"). Ratings range from 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely) and are summed to generate scores.
Imagery Adherence
Measure adapted from the Vividness of Imagery Questionnaire (White et al, 1978). Participants rated the vividness of the following images: (1) putting things into a bag, (2) releasing a bag, (3) getting home from work, (4) relaxing at home, (5) their night-time routine, (6) the time that they visualised going to bed, (7) the environment of their bedroom, (8) the details of the bed they are sleeping in, (9) the image of themselves falling asleep. Response options were: 1 (no image at all) 2 (vague and dim), 3 (somewhat vivid), 4 (reasonably clear), and 5 (perfectly clear and vivid).
Action Planning
An adaptation of the action planning measure developed by Luszczynska and Schwarzer (2003) was used. The items included: "I have made a detailed plan for (1) how I am going to wind down before going to sleep (2) how I am going to prepare for bed (3) how I am going to prepare the place where I will sleep, and (4) the time when I go to sleep". Responses ranged from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much); ratings were summed to generate scores.
Full Information
NCT ID
NCT01648062
First Posted
July 18, 2012
Last Updated
July 19, 2012
Sponsor
University of Auckland, New Zealand
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT01648062
Brief Title
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery
Official Title
Using Mental Imagery to Deliver Self-Regulation Techniques That Target Sleep Initiation Behaviors and Pre-Sleep Arousal
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
July 2012
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
October 2008 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
April 2010 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
April 2010 (Actual)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
University of Auckland, New Zealand
4. Oversight
Data Monitoring Committee
No
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
This randomised controlled trial assessed the efficacy of four mental imagery techniques for improving sleep and its related behaviour: (1) imagery focused on reducing arousal levels; (2) imagery incorporating implementation intentions (a strategy designed to link specified behaviour with the anticipated context) for sleep-related behaviour; (3) a combination of imagery using arousal reduction and implementation intention strategies; or (4) a condition where participants were asked to imagine their typical post work activities.
Detailed Description
Sleep deprivation is a significant health issue in the modern workplace. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of techniques involving mental imagery promoting relaxation (arousal reduction; AR) and simulation of the appropriate sleep behavior in the likely environments (implementation intentions; II) in a population of daytime employees
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Sleep Deprivation, Insomnia
Keywords
Sleep, self-regulation, Implementation intentions, intervention, mental simulation
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Factorial Assignment
Masking
ParticipantInvestigator
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
104 (Actual)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
Arousal reduction using guided imagery
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in the arousal reduction condition were instructed to imagine wearing a backpack loaded with their worries, then putting the heavy backpack down, and then experiencing the relief and freedom from tension.
Arm Title
Mental simulation of sleep behavior
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition received instructions to visualize a specific behavioral plan designed to meet the goal of obtaining quality sleep each night through the practice of certain behaviors. To form the behavioral plan, participants visualised changing into comfortable clothes and taking time to relax prior to going to bed, the time they planned to go to sleep, where they planned to sleep, and the bedtime routine they follow to help them to get to sleep. At bedtime, they were instructed to mentally run through a checklist of these behaviors and then do any behaviors that they had not yet completed.
Arm Title
Combination
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to practice a combination of the guided imagery (for relaxation) and mental simulation imagery for sleep-related behaviour
Arm Title
Control
Arm Type
Sham Comparator
Arm Description
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery: Participants in this condition were asked to imagine a typical post work activity
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery
Other Intervention Name(s)
mental imagery, guided imagery, Implementation intentions, sleep, self-regulation, behavior change
Intervention Description
Comparison of two forms of mental imagery to instigate behaviors that assist in the sleeping process
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Sleep Quality
Description
Assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysse et al, 1989).The PSQI includes 19 items that assess sleep quality, hours of sleep, sleep onset length, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of medication and daytime. Item ratings are recoded and combined to form seven component scores. These scores are then summed into a global score ranging from 0(no difficulty) to 21(severe difficulties in all areas). Daily sleep quality was assessed with five PSQI items.
Time Frame
Baseline and at 3 weeks. Data will also be presented for every day for the duration of the 3 week period so change can be reported.
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Negative Sleep Habits
Description
The Sleep Hygiene Index (Mastin et al, 2006). Respondents rate on a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (all the time) how frequently they engaged in 13 behaviors (e.g. "I take naps lasting two or more hours"). Ratings were summed to provide a total negative sleep habit frequency score.
Time Frame
Baseline and Final follow-up (at 21-days)
Title
Sleep Efficacy
Description
Participants rated their sleep self-efficacy with the item, "how confident are you that you can take the actions necessary to get a good sleep tonight?" Sleep response efficacy was rated with the item "how confident are you that you will actually get a good sleep tonight?" ratings ranged from 1 (not at all confident) to 10 (very confident), and they were summed; r=.69, p<.01 at baseline and r=.20, p<.05 at final follow-up.
Time Frame
Baseline and final follow-up (at 21 days)
Title
Pre-Sleep Arousal
Description
The Pre-sleep Arousal Scale (Nicasso et al, 1985) includes an 8-item somatic subscale (e.g. "how often in the last week before bed have you had a tight, tense feeling in your muscles?") and an 8-item cognitive subscale (e.g. "how often in the last week before bed do you review or ponder events of the day?"). Ratings range from 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely) and are summed to generate scores.
Time Frame
Baseline and final follow-up (Day 21)
Title
Imagery Adherence
Description
Measure adapted from the Vividness of Imagery Questionnaire (White et al, 1978). Participants rated the vividness of the following images: (1) putting things into a bag, (2) releasing a bag, (3) getting home from work, (4) relaxing at home, (5) their night-time routine, (6) the time that they visualised going to bed, (7) the environment of their bedroom, (8) the details of the bed they are sleeping in, (9) the image of themselves falling asleep. Response options were: 1 (no image at all) 2 (vague and dim), 3 (somewhat vivid), 4 (reasonably clear), and 5 (perfectly clear and vivid).
Time Frame
Post-session, Daily, Final follow-up (21 days)
Title
Action Planning
Description
An adaptation of the action planning measure developed by Luszczynska and Schwarzer (2003) was used. The items included: "I have made a detailed plan for (1) how I am going to wind down before going to sleep (2) how I am going to prepare for bed (3) how I am going to prepare the place where I will sleep, and (4) the time when I go to sleep". Responses ranged from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much); ratings were summed to generate scores.
Time Frame
Baseline, Final follow-up (Day 21)
10. Eligibility
Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
ability to read and write in English;
full-time employment;
work shifts during daytime hours (i.e., participants were excluded if they worked night shifts either through the organization or through a secondary job) in a position that provided daily access to email;
a score of five or greater on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) which indicates at least moderate difficulties in two or more areas (e.g., sleep quality and daytime dysfunction);
Exclusion Criteria:
An identifiable biological cause of current sleep deprivation (e.g., sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or pregnancy)
An identified psychological disorder
Caring for a child under the age of 5 or have a reason outside of work that caused them to regularly lack sleep.
Incomplete data (over 50% of daily data missing or missing final follow-up assessment
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Marisa H Loft, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Monash University (Sunway Campus, Malaysia)
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Linda D Cameron, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
University of California, Merced
Official's Role
Study Director
Facility Information:
Facility Name
10 Private Businesses in the Region
City
Auckland
Country
New Zealand
12. IPD Sharing Statement
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Sleep Self-Regulation Using Mental Imagery
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