Digital Vibroacoustic stimulation for Insomnia in Adults With PTSD in a War Zone: A Feasibility Study
U. Katz, S. Grinapol, R. Hazani, A. Paz, N. Strasberg, H. Shehade, S. Hevron, G. ZalsmanIntroduction
Insomnia is highly prevalent among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is considered a hallmark symptom. Effective treatment of insomnia may improve both sleep and PTSD outcomes. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment, but its availability is limited, underscoring the need for scalable digital alternatives
Objectives
To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of TuneMe , a personalized digital vibroacoustic intervention, for reducing insomnia symptoms in adults with PTSD in a war zone setting.
Methods
This was a prospective, single-arm, open-label feasibility study conducted at Geha Mental Health Center, Israel. Thirty adults (aged 18–65 years) with PTSD and comorbid insomnia were recruited. All patients developed PTSD in a war zone setting over the last two years. Participants used the TuneMe application nightly, which produces personalized auditory stimulation based on real-time voice analysis and physiological monitoring. All patients completed the 7-week intervention.
The primary outcomes were changes in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores from baseline to week 7. Secondary outcomes included physiological stress, assessed with the Garmin stress index derived from heart rate variability.
Results
Mean ISI scores decreased from 22.6 (SD, 3.4) to 16.2 (SD, 6.5), a significant improvement (p < .001). The proportion with severe insomnia declined from 68.2% to 27.3% (p = .015). PCL-5 scores improved from 55.3 (SD, 9.5) to 47.0 (SD, 12.9; p = .002), with the greatest effects in hyperarousal and intrusion domains. Physiological stress decreased from 51.2 (SD, 17.4) to 33.9 (SD, 12.9; p < .001).
Conclusions
This feasibility study suggests that a personalized digital vibroacoustic intervention may reduce insomnia and PTSD symptoms in adults with PTSD. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm efficacy and establish durability.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared