Sleep in Mental Health Care (SIP) Study

Helse Bergen is conducting the study "Sleep in Mental Health Care" (SIP) to examine the effect of a transdiagnostic, group-based sleep school as a treatment for insomnia and delayed sleep phase disorder in patients with moderate to severe mental disorders. The treatment is non-pharmacological and includes sleep diaries, education in sleep hygiene, and cognitive behavioral therapy, offered both as standard care and as part of a research project.

Patient-reported data is collected digitally via CheckWare, and research participants also undergo comprehensive measurements such as saliva samples, sleep monitoring, and ECG. The goal is to evaluate the treatment's effect on both sleep and mental health over time. The approach is relevant for mental health care professionals who wish to provide structured, evidence-based sleep interventions to patients with complex conditions.

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Helse Bergen is conducting a clinical study called "Sleep in Mental Health Care" (SIP), which evaluates the effect of a transdiagnostic, group-based sleep school for patients with insomnia or delayed sleep phase disorder combined with moderate to severe mental illness. The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed at investigating how non-pharmacological sleep treatment affects both sleep quality and psychiatric symptoms. Participants are recruited from patients referred to the sleep school at Bjørgvin DPS and must meet DSM-V criteria for insomnia as well as have a confirmed F-diagnosis or high scores on BDI/BAI.

The treatment consists of group-based interventions including sleep diaries, questionnaires, and the use of digital tools such as CheckWare for collecting patient-reported data. In addition to the clinical treatment, participation in the research project involves extra measurements such as activity and sleep tracking, saliva samples for melatonin levels, blood pressure, and ECG. This data is used to assess the effect of the treatment on both sleep and psychiatric symptoms over time.

The study aims to offer an effective, non-pharmacological treatment method for sleep disorders in patients with mental illnesses, and the results may contribute to improving treatment practices in mental health care. The treatment is available for patients regardless of participation in the research project, but participation provides the opportunity for closer follow-up and contributes important research data that may benefit future patients.

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