Insomnia affects roughly one-third of adults at some point, though chronic insomnia — trouble sleeping at least three nights a week for three months or more — is less common. Standard treatment includes cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and medications like benzodiazepines, Z-drugs (zolpidem, eszopiclone), and the newer orexin receptor antagonists (lemborexant, daridorexant). Research is moving toward treatments that address underlying causes rather than just inducing sleep.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing orexin antagonists with different dosing schedules, selective GABA modulators that may carry less next-day grogginess, and digital CBT-I platforms that reach people without access to trained therapists. Researchers are also studying connections between insomnia and immune function, circadian rhythm disorders, and whether treating insomnia can prevent depression or cognitive decline in older adults.
Orexin system drugs
Newer orexin antagonists block the wake-promoting chemical orexin, helping people fall and stay asleep without the dependence risk of older sleep drugs. Trials are testing longer-acting versions and combinations with other approaches.
Digital CBT-I
App-based versions of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia are being tested to see if they work as well as in-person therapy. If effective, they could reach millions of people who can't access trained sleep therapists.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on how long insomnia has lasted, how many nights per week sleep is disrupted, and whether other sleep disorders like apnea have been ruled out.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing new sleep medications, often orexin antagonists or GABA modulators, compared to placebo or existing drugs.
- Digital therapy trials — Testing apps and online programs that deliver cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether treating insomnia early can prevent depression, anxiety, or cognitive problems in people at risk.
- Combination trials — Testing whether combining medications with CBT-I works better than either approach alone.
- Circadian rhythm studies — Following people with insomnia to understand how sleep timing, light exposure, and internal clocks affect sleep quality.
Recently added Insomnia trials
Take herbal medicine tested for insomnia treatment
This study aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating sleep disorders, specifically chronic insomnia. While conventional TCM treatments often rely heavily on subjective patient feedback, this clinical trial incorporates objective diagnostic tools, including Digital Polysomnography (PSG) and actigraphy, to gather data-driven sleep quality metrics. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Chaihushugan Decoction or Wen Dan Tang for an 8-week treatment period. Subjective improvements will be tracked using standardized clinical questionnaires such as the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The findings from this trial will help clarify the scientific basis and treatment pathways of these two classic herbal formulations for sleep management.
Efficacy of Melatonin Treatment on Sleep Quality Improvement in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients With Clinical Remission
Sleep disturbances are common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are associated with increased disease activity and reduced quality of life. Melatonin, a hormone regulating circadian rhythms, has shown potential anti-inflammatory and sleep-promoting effects in preliminary studies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin supplementation on sleep quality in IBD patients in clinical remission.
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