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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Prof Simon Kyle
simon.kyle@ndcn.ox.ac.uk


Dr Nicola Barclay
nicola.barclay@ndcn.ox.ac.uk


More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Understanding the mechanisms of how behavioural sleep improvement programmes work in young adults with depression and anxiety
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Understanding the mechanisms of how behavioural sleep improvement programmes work in young adults with depression and anxiety

Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Adult

Oxford

Medical Conditions

Insomnia and symptoms of mental health difficulties (anxiety and depression)

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common and often distressing. There are reasons to think that poor sleep is an important contributor to depression and anxiety, and if sleep could be improved, depression and anxiety might improve too.
Previous research has shown that we can improve sleep quality using behavioural interventions. While there is evidence that these behavioural treatments improve one’s quality of sleep and daytime functioning, it is less clear how they affect the biology of sleep or circadian rhythms (the ‘body clock’), especially in people who experience depression and /or anxiety.
In this study we want to compare two behavioural sleep interventions to understand which is more effective in changing sleep, the timing of the body clock, and mental health. Such information may help us develop new and tailored interventions for people with mental health difficulties.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

23 Jun 2025 05 Dec 2026

Participants are recruited from general practice and the community who experience sleep disruption (insomnia) and either depression or anxiety. GPs will search medical records and send out study invitations. They will also make patients aware of the study during consultations. We will also advertise the study on social media and relevant websites, as well as on posters in GP practices and in communal places around Oxford. People who are interested in taking part in the study will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and a phone interview with a member of the research team to determine if the study is suitable for them. Eligible participants will be allocated at random, by a computer, to one of two behavioural sleep improvement programmes taking place over six weekly sessions. Sleep improvement programme 1 will involve meeting with a trained researcher each week for 6 weeks and following a personalised daily sleep schedule. Sleep improvement programme 2 will involve meeting with a trained researcher each week for 6 weeks and receiving education and advice on how lifestyle and environmental factors impact our sleep.
All participants will complete assessments at baseline (before the random allocation of treatment), and at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 26 weeks after random allocation to treatment. This will help us to determine whether the treatments have worked. We will measure symptoms of depression and anxiety using questionnaires. We will measure sleep using questionnaires, sleep diaries, actigraphy (a watch-like device that measures movement), and through measurement of electrical brain activity recorded twice in participants' homes. We will also take a measure of participants’ ‘biological clock’ from samples of saliva, collected in a laboratory, as well as biomarkers of inflammation from blood samples. We will also collect information on medication prescriptions and any other treatments that participants may access during the study.


People aged between 18 and 40 years who experience depression and/or anxiety and frequent difficulty with falling asleep and/or waking up during the night (insomnia)

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Previously received sleep restriction therapy2. Currently receiving psychological treatment for insomnia from a health professional or taking part in an online treatment programme for insomnia3. Another person in the household already participates in this trial4. Currently taking part in another clinical trial which could affect outcomes in SPECTRUM5. Currently or recently (within the last 2 months) received inpatient psychiatric treatment 6. Currently taking hypnotic medication or other psychotropic medication that, in the opinion of the investigator, significantly affects sleep. Participants who take antidepressant medication and have been on a stable dose will be eligible. 7. Pregnant/pregnancy planning in the next 6 months8. Additional sleep disorder diagnosis (e.g., obstructive sleep apnoea) or positive following screening9. Alcohol or drug-dependent 10. Epilepsy11. Diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder, or screening ‘positive’ for possible bipolar disorder 12. Current suicidal ideation with intent OR attempted suicide within the past 2 months 13. Night, evening, early morning or rotating shift-work, or other uncontrollable sleep disturbances such as caring responsibilities or night feeding14. Transmeridian travel (>=2 time zones) over the past 1 month or planned in the coming 3 months15. Contraindication to polysomnography such as extremely irritable or sensitive skin on scalp, or allergies to plaster adhesive16. Any other reason that the investigator deems the participant to be ineligible


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNI)
    Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Oxford South Parks Road
    Oxford
    OX1 3QU

Participants may benefit from improved sleep and mental health from taking part in this study. Participants will also contribute to research, which may help develop better treatments for people experiencing mental health problems. Furthermore, all participants who are interested in receiving a summary of the study findings will also be sent a copy of this at the end of the study. We do not anticipate that there are any risks in taking part. However, involvement in the study will involve answering questions about sensitive and potentially upsetting topics. If participants do not feel comfortable answering such questions, the team will discourage them from participating in the study or taking part in the online eligibility questionnaire. There are no known serious side effects from taking part in this study; however, a change to sleep patterns may be associated with a short-term increase in sleepiness. Participants will be informed that if they do feel sleepy during the study, they should avoid activities that require a high degree of vigilance, such as driving or operating heavy machinery.

Dr Nicola Barclay
nicola.barclay@ndcn.ox.ac.uk


Prof Simon Kyle
simon.kyle@ndcn.ox.ac.uk



More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.


The study is sponsored by University of Oxford and funded by Wellcome Trust.




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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN51219397

Or CPMS: 65265

Last updated 26 February 2026

This page is to help you find out about a research study and if you may be able to take part

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