Anxiolytic impact of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in patients with co-morbid insomnia and generalized anxiety disorder.

Background: Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment for chronic insomnia that also improves non-sleep symptoms, such as mood and anxiety. Identifying sleep-specific variables that predict anxiety change after CBT-I treatment may support alternative strategies when people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) do not improve from standard GAD treatment.

Aims: To investigate CBT-I on changes in anxiety and evaluate whether changes in sleep-specific variables predict anxiety outcomes.

Methods: Seventy-two participants presenting with insomnia and GAD (GAD-I) completed four sessions of CBT-I. Participants completed daily diaries and self-report measures at baseline and post-treatment.

Results: CBT-I in a co-morbid GAD-I sample was associated with medium reductions in anxiety, and large reductions in insomnia severity. Subjective insomnia severity and tendencies to ruminate in response to fatigue predicted post-treatment anxiety change, in addition to younger age and lower baseline anxiety.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that younger GAD-I participants with moderate anxiety symptoms may benefit most from the anxiety-relieving impact of CBT-I. Reducing perceived insomnia severity and the tendency to ruminate in response to fatigue may support reductions in anxiety in those with GAD-I.