Background: Following the success of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for insomnia, there has been a growing recognition that similar treatment approaches might be equally beneficial for other major sleep disorders, including non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias. We have developed a novel, group-based, CBT-program for NREM parasomnias (CBT-NREMP), with the primary aim of reducing NREM parasomnia severity with relatively few treatment sessions.Methods: We investigated the effectiveness of CBT-NREMP in 46 retrospectively-identified patients, who completed five outpatient therapy sessions. The outcomes pre- and post- CBT-NREMP treatment on clinical measures of insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), NREM parasomnias (Paris Arousal Disorders Severity Scale) and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), were retrospectively collected and analyzed. In order to investigate the temporal stability of CBT-NREMP, we also assessed a subgroup of 8 patients during the 3 to 6 months follow-up period.Results: CBT-NREMP led to a reduction in clinical measures of NREM parasomnia, insomnia, and anxiety and depression severities [pre- vs. post-CBT-NREMP scores: P (Insomnia Severity Index) = 0.000054; P (Paris Arousal Disorders Severity Scale) = 0.00032; P (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) = 0.037]. Improvements in clinical measures of NREM parasomnia and insomnia severities were similarly recorded for a subgroup of eight patients at follow-up, demonstrating that patients continued to improve post CBT-NREMP.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that group CBT-NREMP intervention is a safe, effective and promising treatment for NREM parasomnia, especially when precipitating and perpetuating factors are behaviorally and psychologically driven. Future randomized controlled trials are now required to robustly confirm these findings.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we demonstrated the efficacy of a novel Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme for the treatment of Non-Rapid Eye Movement Parasomnias (CBT-NREMP) in reducing NREM parasomnia events, insomnia and associated mood severities. Given the increased prevalence and worsening of sleep and affective disorders during the pandemic, we examined the sustainability of CBT-NREMP following the U.K.’s longest COVID-19 lockdown (6 January 2021–19 July 2021) by repeating the investigations via a mail survey in the same 46 patient cohort, of which 12 responded. The survey included validated clinical questionnaires relating to NREM parasomnia (Paris Arousal Disorder Severity Scale), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index) and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Patients also completed a targeted questionnaire (i.e., Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Questionnaire, ICLQ) to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on NREM parasomnia severity, mental health, general well-being and lifestyle. Clinical measures of NREM parasomnia, insomnia, anxiety and depression remained stable, with no significant changes demonstrated in questionnaire scores by comparison to the previous investigatory period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic: p (ISI) = 1.0; p (HADS) = 0.816; p (PADSS) = 0.194. These findings support the longitudinal effectiveness of CBT-NREMP for up to three years following the clinical intervention, and despite of the COVID-19 pandemic.