Dr. Rébecca Robillard has received an Early Researcher Award (ERA) grant to support a research study into a unique non-invasive treatment for insomnia that sounds like a plot point from a science fiction film.
The Early Researcher Awards (ERA) is a highly competitive grant program that supports exceptional early career researchers at publicly-funded Ontario research institutions in building their research teams.
Robillard’s study, “Monitoring biological features of insomnia to inform a targeted intervention for deep sleep” will investigate the effects of auditory stimulation on people who sleep well and people with insomnia.
While it may sound counterintuitive, recent research has shown that a particular sound played during deep sleep could boost deep sleep.
Robillard, head scientist of the clinical sleep research unit at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) at The Royal and co-chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium, explains that a good night’s sleep isn’t just about quantity – how much sleep we get – but quality.
Our bodies go through multiple sleep cycles as we sleep. Each cycle typically lasts around 90 minutes and includes several stages that range from light to deep sleep.
“All stages of sleep are important, but deep sleep is especially important for brain function and restoration of the body,” she says.
A lack of deep sleep leaves us feeling tired, even if it seems we got a full night’s rest.
It is estimated that people with an insomnia disorder get 20 minutes less deep sleep – also called slow wave sleep – per night compared to good sleepers.
Deep sleep occurs in the third stage of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. During this stage, brain activity manifests as tall, slow waves called delta waves. These slow waves are the core component of deep sleep.
Research has shown that playing ultra-brief periods of pink noise (a sound similar to white noise) while a person is in deep sleep – just loudly enough for the brain to detect – can increase the number of slow waves during deep sleep if the sound is timed for when slow waves are ramping up.
“All stages of sleep are important, but deep sleep is especially important for brain function and restoration of the body.” - Dr. Rébecca RobillardRobillard explains: “So rather than having one or two slow waves, you'll have multiple waves following after that sound. By sending the sound at the precise time, we may be able to boost deep sleep.”
“It’s science fiction made real,” she says.
Robillard and her team hope to demonstrate the impact of auditory stimulation on slow waves and replicate the results in people who are having trouble sleeping.
While it’s still early days, Robillard is excited about how this research could lead to the development of wearable technology that could be used at home.
“[With the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium] we're embarking on a mission to try to democratize sleep interventions and find ways of translating research into care,” says Robillard, who adds there is a critical need for accessible sleep treatments that don’t involve medication.
Interruptions to our sleep cycles, such as fragmented sleep or insufficient total sleep time, can lead to daytime fatigue, impaired cognitive function, low mood, and increased risk of chronic health conditions. What’s more, there is a correlation between sleep disorders and mental health conditions.
Insomnia disorder is characterized as a persistent and debilitating sleep disorder marked by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep at least three nights per week for three months or more.
Robillard estimates that one out of three people have insomnia symptoms at any given time and that the number of people who struggle with insomnia disorder has increased in the last decade; affecting an estimated 17 per cent of people.
“Sleep is a foundational part of our health and more research is needed in order to better understand insomnia – its causes, effective treatments, and long-term impacts on overall health and mental well-being,” says Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, president of the IMHR and vice-president of research. “With continued research we can develop innovative, personalized interventions to improve the quality of life for those affected by insomnia disorder.”
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