For a long time, when it came to working with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as a behavioral health provider, my understanding was that my role ended once I successfully referred the patient to a physician (either their primary care provider or a sleep medicine physician). I understood that OSA was a potentially dangerous condition that required a thorough assessment and medical intervention. At best, I could assist by screening the patient for OSA and getting them connected to treatment.
You're in bed. The lights are off, the world outside is quiet, but your mind refuses to wind down. You've done everything you're meant to do, hidden your phone, kept the room cool, perhaps even tried the deep breathing trick, but sleep simply won't come. Instead, your mind insistently keeps cycling through something that is already in the past: an awkward conversation, a missed opportunity, some annoying regret.
Determining Risks using Ecological Assessments of Mood, Sleep, & Suicide: An ecological momentary assessment of sleep effects in veterans with suicidal ideation, or DREAMSS, is a new pilot study led by Dr. Maegan Willing from the Center for Deployment Psychology. This study will explore how sleep quality impacts the thoughts and feelings of veterans who struggle with insomnia and suicidal thoughts. Using proven strategies, we will use mobile apps and Fitbits to monitor individuals sleep while collecting real-time data on thoughts and mood to uncover crucial insights for reducing the risk of suicide in veterans.
Members of the CDP Research Team, including Jaime Rodden, Sebastian Preilipper, Ariana Bazzi, and Dr. Maegan Willing enjoyed participating in the 2025 USU Research Day. This annual event at the Uniformed Services University serves as a vital platform to promote and highlight the diverse research conducted by students, postdoctoral fellows, and research associates across USU and its affiliate institutions.
Recently a case was shared with me in consultation that perked my ears up. He had a number of disruptions related to his sleep, including difficulty staying asleep, nightmares, a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and a history of two traumatic incidents. Worse, he had started grinding his teeth to the point of wearing through over the counter mouthguards. He was described as an “extreme case” that had failed prior evidence-based treatment and would not likely benefit from say Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
