While many people believe that poor sleep during pregnancy is inevitable, new research has found that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) during pregnancy can not only improve sleep patterns but also address postpartum depression.
Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses, as well as the University of Calgary, found that giving CBTi during pregnancy significantly reduces postpartum depressive symptoms after the baby arrives.
“Early intervention is crucial for the mental health of babies and parents,” says Dr. Elizabeth Keys, assistant professor in the UBCO School of Nursing and co-author of the study. “Our research explores how addressing sleep problems, such as insomnia, can lead to better mental health outcomes for families, helping parents and their children thrive.”
CBTi is a therapeutic intervention that identifies thoughts, behaviors and sleep patterns that contribute to insomnia. Treatment includes challenging or reframing misconceptions and restructuring habits to improve sleep quality.
“CBTi is the gold standard for treating insomnia and has been consistently shown to improve symptoms of depression,” says Dr. Keys. “The effects of its treatment are similar to those of antidepressant medications among adults, but with fewer side effects, and therefore pregnant people tend to prefer it.”
Sixty-two women evaluated for insomnia and depressive symptoms participated in the study, half randomly assigned to an intervention group and the other half to a control group.
“We found that CBTi during pregnancy significantly improved sleep and reduced participants’ postpartum depressive symptoms,” explains Dr. Keys. “These are hugely encouraging results for anyone who has had difficulties during those first weeks and months with their newborns.”
The results indicate that effective treatment of insomnia during pregnancy may serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression.
“Our study adds to the growing evidence that treating insomnia during pregnancy is beneficial for a variety of outcomes,” says Dr. Keys. “It’s time to explore how we can make this treatment more accessible to pregnant people across the country to improve equity in sleep health.”
The research highlights interdisciplinary collaborations between researchers in Canada and UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. Dr. Elizabeth Keys is from UBCO, while Dr. Lianne M. Tomfohr-Madsen, Canada Research Chair in Mental Health and Intersectionality, is based at UBC Vancouver.
Dr. Keys and Dr. Tomfohr-Madsen are principal investigators on the Sleep Equity Reimagined team at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and members of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium.