Online therapy cuts seniors' insomnia by 11 per cent

Sleep gets worse with age — it's just biology. But a Montreal research team has shown that an online version of cognitive behavioural therapy can meaningfully improve it.

The Montreal Geriatric University Institute's Research Centre (CRIUGM) developed and tested the program. Results published in the journal Age and Ageing show an 11.46 per cent improvement in sleep efficiency among 80 study participants. Half showed clinically significant improvement — a decrease of at least seven points in their insomnia severity score. Five participants were considered in remission, meaning they no longer suffer from insomnia.

The therapy follows the traditional CBT model: psychoeducation and behavioral strategies bundled into short videos, with homework assignments at the end of each session. The kicker is the pacing. "We've had quite positive feedback from participants about this, about being able to do it at their own pace and having the option to go directly back and review the necessary information," says Mathilde Reyt, lead author of the study.

One counterintuitive piece of advice that works: reducing sleep time. "People who suffer from insomnia often tend to spend long hours in bed without sleeping," explains Dr. Thien Thanh Dang-Vu, a neurologist specializing in sleep medicine at CRIUGM. "This contributes to perpetuating insomnia because when you're unable to sleep in bed for a long time, you toss and turn, then you get frustrated." The therapy recommends getting out of bed when you can't fall asleep and limiting your sleep window to the amount of time you actually expect to sleep.

For older Montréalers struggling with sleep, this is solid news — especially knowing it works without requiring an in-person appointment or fitting into a rigid clinic schedule.