Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Offers Meaningful Sleep Improvement for Those with Chronic Illness
A new meta-analysis confirms that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective adn well-tolerated treatment for insomnia in individuals managing chronic health conditions. The research,led by Dr. amelia Scott of the university of Sydney and her team, highlights the importance of addressing sleep disturbances, as they can exacerbate underlying illnesses.
Approximately 10-15% of adults experience sleep disorders, a rate that dramatically increases in those with chronic diseases – reaching 60% in cancer patients and 70% in individuals with chronic pain, according to Dr. Scott’s team.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2025, systematically reviewed data from 67 randomized clinical trials encompassing over 5,000 participants. CBT for insomnia typically incorporates techniques like stimulus control, sleep restriction, and cognitive restructuring. Researchers assessed the therapy’s impact on three key measures: insomnia severity, sleep efficiency (the ratio of time asleep to time in bed), and sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).
The analysis revealed that CBT significantly improved insomnia severity. While moderate effects where observed for sleep efficiency and sleep latency, these improvements became more pronounced with longer treatment durations. Notably, the therapy demonstrated high patient acceptance, evidenced by a low dropout rate of 13.3%, and was associated with rare side effects.
“The results justify a wider use of cognitive behavioral therapy in patients with chronic illnesses,” the authors state. They advocate for improved access to this therapy and suggest further research into its potential benefits beyond sleep, specifically exploring its impact on the chronic illnesses themselves.
(Scott AJ et al. JAMA Intern Med 2025; doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.4610)
