Pilot study of a sleep health promotion program for college students

ObjectivesWe conducted a pilot study of a sleep health promotion program for college students. The aims of the study were to (1) determine the feasibility of the program and (2) explore changes in sleep knowledge and sleep diary parameters.DesignOpen trial of a sleep health promotion program for college students.SettingA small liberal arts university in southwestern Pennsylvania.ParticipantsUniversity students (primarily female).InterventionActive intervention components included individualized e-mail feedback based on each participant's baseline sleep diary and an in-person, group format presentation on sleep health.MeasurementsParticipants completed online questionnaires and sleep diaries before and after the health promotion intervention. Online questionnaires focused on sleep knowledge and attitudes toward sleep, as well as Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System sleep and psychosocial assessments.ResultsOf participants who completed some aspects of the study, 89% completed at least one intervention component (in-person lecture and/or sleep diary). Participants reported significant improvement in sleep knowledge and changes in sleep diary parameters (decreased sleep onset latency and time spent in bed, resulting in greater sleep efficiency). Sleep duration also increased by 30 minutes among short sleepers who obtained < 7 hours sleep at baseline.ConclusionsPreliminary evaluation of a brief program to promote sleep health suggests that it is feasible and acceptable to implement, and that it can favorably alter sleep knowledge and behaviors reported on the sleep diary in college students. Controlled trials are warranted.