Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42223503›Full record

Trial reportSleep2026

USleep: efficacy of app-based audio interventions to improve sleep disturbance in working adults, a multi-arm randomized controlled trial.

Jessica Vazzaz, Faith Matcham, Marcos Economides, Heather Bolton, Kate Cavanagh

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Sleep, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jessica VazzazSchool of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom.ORCID 0009-0004-5300-2576
Faith MatchamSchool of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom.
Marcos EconomidesScience Department, Unmind Ltd, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-0511-5432
Heather BoltonScience Department, Unmind Ltd, London, United Kingdom.
Kate CavanaghSchool of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-9863-1462

Funding

South and East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS), part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) ES/P00072X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

objectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of three categories of standalone, audio-based sleep interventions (Bedtime Stories, Sleep Sounds, Sleep Skills) delivered via mental health application (MHapp) in improving sleep among working adults with sleep disturbance.

methodsA multi-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted. Adults with self-reported sleep disturbances were recruited online and randomly allocated to Bedtime Stories, Sleep Sounds, Sleep Skills, or digital control. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on sleep disturbance and other related outcomes at baseline (t0) and after the 4-week intervention (t1). The primary analysis followed an intention-to-treat approach using mixed-effects models.

resultsA total of 495 working adults (mean age = 32.7 years; 55.8% female) were randomized. For sleep disturbance (primary outcome), the between-group Hedges' g effect sizes were very small and not statistically significant (Bedtimes stories vs. control: g = 0.12, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.37, Sleep Sounds vs. control: g = 0.14, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.39, Sleep Skills 0.07, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.29), with slightly greater reductions in sleep disturbance for the intervention groups than control. The same pattern was observed for sleep-related impairment, mental health, well-being, and pre-sleep arousal.

conclusionAudio-based sleep interventions delivered via a MHapp did not demonstrate superior efficacy over a digital control condition in reducing self-reported sleep disturbance among working adults. Although safe and well-tolerated, their use as standalone treatments for sleep disturbance is not supported by these findings. Future research should explore effectiveness in real-world settings, including user content choice across categories, and use objective sleep measures. CLINICAL

trial registrationRegistered at https://www.isrctn.com/ under "Evaluating the efficacy of audio-based digital tools to improve sleep on the Unmind workplace well-being platform"; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13426045; registration number: 13426045.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsSleep Wake DisordersAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment Outcomedigital interventionefficacyrandomized controlled trialsleepsmartphone apps

Identifiers

PMID42223503
PMCPMC13553283

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.