Remote sleep monitoring could help predict suicidal thoughts
VA Research News Briefs

Photo for illustrative purposes only. ©iStock/FujiCraft
(03/12/2026)
VA Palo Alto researchers and their colleagues demonstrated that remote sleep monitoring has the potential to help predict suicidal ideations in Veterans with PTSD. Seventy-five Veterans with PTSD were mailed a mattress sensor system to measure their sleep habits, movements, and biometrics. After a telephone-guided set-up, participants no longer needed to directly interact with the measurement system as data was automatically uploaded nightly, with researchers conducting weekly telephone assessments of mental health and suicidal ideation. Over an average of 55 days, Veterans at high risk for suicide went to bed an average of 63 minutes earlier than low-risk participants. Shorter sleep periods were also associated with increased suicidal ideations. The results highlight the connection between sleep quality and mental health and show how low-cost sleep monitoring could help predict spikes of suicidal tendencies with no additional burden to the Veteran. (Journal of Affective Disorder, Jan. 16, 2026)