NIH Sleep Research Plan Under Development

Attendees of the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies had the opportunity to review a draft of the National Sleep Disorders Research Plan, which will set priorities for the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR), housed at the National Institutes of Health. This draft is the first revision of a plan that has guided research since 1996. After surveying recent advances, it identifies gaps in the knowledge of basic sleep science and methodology, understanding of sleep and health, effects of restricted sleep, and the impact of sleep disorders.

Virtually all psychiatric disorders are associated with sleep disruption, the NCSDR plan notes. They are the most common cause of chronic insomnia. Moreover, insomnia also is a risk factor for the subsequent development of psychiatric disorders, including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. The plan lists as a top research priority the determination of whether insomnia and hypersomnia are modifiable risk factors for poor outcomes in the longitudinal course of psychiatric illnesses.