Preliminary Evidence of Sleep Improvements Following Psilocybin Administration, and their Involvement in Antidepressant Therapeutic Action
Matthew J Reid, Hannes Kettner, Tessa F. Blanken, Brandon Weiss, Robin Carhartt-Harris
Current Psychiatry Reports November 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-024-01539-8 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review with preliminary data analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psilocybin therapy Poor sleep Depressive symptoms Adopt Psilocybin-assisted therapy Psychedelic medicine Sleep disorders insomnia Sleep quality Sleep patterns Depression mood disorders |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Sleep disturbances decreased after psilocybin use, but improvements were smaller than those for depressive symptoms, and baseline sleep severity was linked to lower depression remission rates. |
Abstract
Abstract Purpose of the study Psilocybin is a rapidly-emerging treatment for depression, yet its impact on sleep is not well understood. We sought to explore the literature on sleep and psilocybin use, and explore the topic using our own primary data. Findings Whilst clinical trials demonstrate large depressive symptom improvements, the impact of psilocybin on sleep quality or insomnia symptoms, has not been directly studied. Using our own preliminary-data we demonstrated that both depressive-symptoms and sleep-disturbances decreased significantly following psilocybin use, though sleep improvements were smaller compared to depressive symptoms. More severe sleep-disturbances at baseline were linked to lower probability of depression remission, underscoring a potential interaction between sleep and psilocybin’s efficacy. Summary Addressing sleep disturbances could enhance therapeutic outcomes in psilocybin-assisted therapy and could lead to more effective, personalized treatment-strategies. Future research should focus on populations with sleep disorders, and on examining causal-pathways of sleep physiology’s impact on psilocybin efficacy.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin and Implications for the Treatment of Depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
| Depression, Mindfulness, and Psilocybin: Possible Complementary Effects of Mindfulness Meditation and Psilocybin in the Treatment of Depression. A Review | 2020 | Review | |
| From psychiatry to neurology: Psychedelics as prospective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders | 2021 | Review |