Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses, as well as the University of Calgary, found that administering CBTi during pregnancy significantly reduced postpartum depressive symptoms after the arrival of a baby.

“Early intervention is crucial for the mental health of infants 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 like 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 involves 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. “Its therapeutic effects are similar to those of antidepressants in adults, but with fewer side effects, and are therefore often preferred by pregnant women.”

Sixty-two women assessed for insomnia and depressive symptoms participated in the study, with 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,” says Dr. Keys. “These are extremely encouraging results for anyone who has struggled in those first weeks and months with their newborn.”

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 sleep health equity.”

The research highlights interdisciplinary collaborations between researchers across 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.

Keys and Tomfohr-Madsen are principal investigators of the Sleep Equity Reimagined team at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and are members of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium.