Breaking the pill habit: study targets placebo effect to help seniors sleep naturally

NCT ID NCT03687086

First seen Apr 10, 2026 · Last updated Apr 29, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested two programs to help older adults (age 55+) stop taking common sleeping pills like Ambien or Ativan. One program focused on the placebo effect—the idea that beliefs and expectations about a pill can affect sleep—while the other did not. The goal was to see if addressing these psychological factors could help more people quit and stay off the medication.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for SLEEP INITIATION AND MAINTENANCE DISORDERS are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

  • VA Greater Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, California, 90073, United States

Conditions

Explore the condition pages connected to this study.