Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia linked to reduced postpartum depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) delivered during pregnancy significantly reduces postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers, new research from UBC shows.

Researchers from the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses investigated whether treating insomnia during pregnancy could alleviate symptoms of postpartum depression, which affects many new mothers.

Early intervention is crucial for infant and maternal mental health. Our research explores how addressing sleep problems, like insomnia, can lead to better mental health outcomes for families, helping parents and their children thrive.”

Dr. Elizabeth Keys, Assistant Professor in UBCO’s School of Nursing and study co-author

The randomized controlled trial involved 62 women experiencing insomnia and evaluated the effects of a five-week CBTI intervention adapted for pregnancy. Participants were assessed for insomnia and depression symptoms before the intervention, immediately after and six months postpartum.

Results indicate that effective insomnia treatment during pregnancy may serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression.

While poor sleep during and after pregnancy is common, it is often dismissed as inevitable. Dr. Keys says many parents may not realize that evidence-based treatments, like CBTI, are available.

“Our study adds to the growing evidence that treating insomnia during pregnancy is beneficial for various outcomes,” Dr. Keys says. “It’s time to explore how we can make this treatment more accessible to pregnant women across the country, with the goal of improving sleep health equity.”

This study highlights the interdisciplinary collaborations happening between UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, along with researchers from across Canada. Dr. Tavis Campbell and Dr. Elizabeth Keys are from UBCO’s School of Nursing, while Dr. Lianne M. Tomfohr-Madsen, a Canada Research Chair in Mental Health and Intersectionality, is based at UBC Vancouver.

Dr. Keys and Dr. Tomfohr-Madsen are lead investigators on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Sleep Equity Reimagined team and members of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium.

The study appears in the October issue of Journal of Affective Disorders.