New Research from Bend Health Indicates Downstream Benefits of Pediatric Mental Health Care for Child and Teen Sleep

A new study published in Digital Health shows that 77% of children and adolescents demonstrated improvements in their sleep in a non-sleep focused intervention from Bend Health

MADISON, Wis., (May 13, 2024) - Bend Health, Inc. ("Bend"), a national provider of mental health care for children, teens, young adults and families announced new study findings today indicating that digital mental health interventions may improve sleep. Published in Digital Health, the study suggests that 77% of Bend Health members with elevated sleep problems exhibited improvements after an average of two months of care, with sleep problems decreasing over each month in care with Bend. While the digital mental health intervention did not target sleep directly, the findings support secondary improvements in sleep problems associated with participation in collaborative mental health care. 

Key findings from the study include: 

• Correlation Between Sleep and Mental Health: Compared to their peers without sleep problems, children and teens with elevated sleep problems had more than double the rates of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms. They also had higher rates of elevated inattention symptoms.

• Improvements in Sleep: Without directly targeting sleep, 77% of children and adolescents showed improvements in their sleep after an average of approximately 2 months of care with Bend. Members whose mental health symptoms improved over the course of care had larger improvements in their sleep, demonstrating the relationship between mental health and sleep.

• Demographic Insights: Bend Health members between the ages of five to 17 were screened, and 39.3% (n=479) had elevated sleep problems. Members with elevated sleep problems tended to be older, female, and identified as white compared to their peers without elevated sleep issues.

"Improving mental health can have profound ripple effects on various aspects of well-being, including sleep," said Dr. Monika Roots, Co-Founder and President at Bend Health. "This is particularly significant given the escalating concern surrounding sleep issues and their intertwined relationship with mental health challenges in youth. These study findings offer hope, demonstrating that even brief periods of digital mental health care can lead to meaningful improvements in sleep, offering relief to children, adolescents, and their caregivers grappling with fatigue and sleep disturbances."

This study supports the added benefits of digital mental health interventions on child and adolescent sleep problems. This is a critical area of development given the growing crisis of sleep issues and established links to mental health problems in youth. These findings highlight that sleep problems can improve in a relatively short period of care with a digital mental health program, an encouraging solution for children, adolescents, and their caregivers who are experiencing challenges with sleep. 

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About Bend Health, Inc. 

Bend Health, Inc., a national provider of mental health care services for kids, teens and young adults up to age 25, is on a mission to improve access to high-quality mental health care. With care options to address prevention through severe mental health - inclusive of neuropsychological testing services - Bend Health surrounds the family with the right intervention for every moment of need. Bend’s unique collaborative care model includes coaches, therapists, and psychiatric providers who work with youth and families and deliver better outcomes. Bend’s services are available to over 95 million people through partnerships with leading insurers, employers, and health systems. For more information, visit www.BendHealth.com