Yoga Nidra for Insomnia and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Phase

N/A

Condition

Insomnia

Post-traumatic Stress Disorders

Treatment

Yoga nidra (full)

Yoga nidra (brief)

Clinical Study ID

NCT06888336

26303/002

ZIAMH002962

Ages 18-35
All Genders

Study Summary

This randomized feasibility study is designed to investigate the feasibility of recruitment and delivery of two variations (brief; full) of a virtual Integrative Restoration (iRest) yoga nidra meditation intervention in stressor- or trauma-exposed participants with insomnia and posttraumatic stress symptoms, compared to a waitlist control group. Feasibility will also be examined for data collection (daily sleep diaries and PTSD symptom surveys) and at-home polysomnography (PSG) study completion prior to and following the intervention. Feasibility measures will include study retention and-for the two yoga nidra groups-adherence to study protocol, and acceptability of the intervention will be assessed qualitatively, in semi-structured interviews, and quantitatively, with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, following the intervention. Acceptability of the daily surveys will also be assessed quantitatively.

Preliminary efficacy of the interventions on the primary treatment outcomes of insomnia and PTSD symptoms and symptom clusters will be assessed. Secondary outcomes include changes in specific sleep architecture assessed in an at-home polysomnogram (sleep stages, including stage N3 percentage, sleep spindles, rapid eye movement (REM) theta, total sleep time, wake after sleep onset time, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency), daily sleep characteristics (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset time, sleep quality), daily PTSD symptoms, and mindfulness. Exploratory outcomes include sleep quality, experiential avoidance, emotion regulation, self-compassion, depression, anxiety, and nightmares.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

Endorses experiencing at least one lifetime very stressful or traumatic event thatstill distresses them
Score of 13 or higher on the 8-item PCL-5
Scoring 15 or higher on the Insomnia Severity Index, indicating the presence ofmoderate to severe insomnia
Being able and willing to listen to online yoga nidra audio recordings that may eachbe up to 35 minutes long daily for 8 weeks
Being willing to monitor sleep and PTSD symptoms for 10 weeks
Normal or corrected to normal hearing and vision
Fluent in English
Reliable daily access to the internet Between the ages of 18 and 35
Between the ages of 18 and 35
Reliable daily access to the internet
Willing to refrain from ingesting caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs the dayof the sleep studies
Currently receiving or seeking treatment for alcoholism or a substance abusedisorder

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

History of schizophrenia, psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder
Current endorsement of suicidality (score of 2 or higher on Item 9 of the BDI-II)
Currently receiving psychological treatment for any mental health disorder
Current diagnosis of any sleep disorder, excluding insomnia or nightmare disorder
Currently taking benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine receptor agonists, orexinagonists or antagonists, antiseizure medication, any medications for sleep
Score of 5 or higher on STOP-BANG Questionnaire (indicating likelihood of moderateto severe obstructive sleep apnea)
Previous adverse experience with meditation
Current regular meditative practice (meditating once or more per month)

Study Design

Yoga nidra (full)

March 03, 2025

November 30, 2025

Study Description

Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of three groups: two remote yoga nidra interventions will be compared to a waitlist control group. The yoga nidra groups will be as follows: a high-dose condition in which participants will be instructed to engage in yoga nidra practice by listening to ~30-minute recordings every day for 8 weeks, and a low-dose condition in which participants will be instructed to engage in yoga nidra practice by listening to ~10-minute recordings 6 days per week and a ~30-minute recording one day per week for 8 weeks. The yoga nidra recordings are comprised of Integrative Restoration (iRest) yoga nidra scripts. Participants will be given the opportunity to listen to their provided recordings as often as they would like during the intervention. Frequency of practice sessions will be tracked on the website and recorded by participants in their daily surveys. In Week 10, participants in the waitlist control group will be randomly assigned to either low-dose or high-dose yoga nidra and given access to the recordings over the 8 weeks following the second PSG.

Daily PTSD symptoms and sleep will be recorded for two weeks prior to the intervention (baseline weeks) and throughout the intervention. At-home polysomnography will be completed immediately prior to the intervention (Week 2) and immediately following the intervention (Week 10), and questionnaires will be completed during the in-lab electrode application and removal sessions for the at-home polysomnography. During the in-lab sessions, resting state electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), and skin conductance levels will also be recorded. Follow-up questionnaires will be administered to all participants 8 weeks after the second sleep study (Week 18) to assess primary treatment outcomes and mindfulness in waitlist participants after the intervention and maintenance of primary treatment outcomes and mindfulness following the intervention in yoga nidra high- and low-dose participants.

Connect with a study center

University College London
London,
United Kingdom
Active - Recruiting

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