A 20-minute online sleep lesson got more students to keep a regular sleep schedule

Helped
Eight weeks after one short online sleep lesson, more students said they kept a more regular sleep schedule.
Randomised trial of 549 college students in the USA · vs students who only filled in surveys · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
No difference
The same online sleep lesson did not get students to go to bed any earlier, on weekdays or weekends.
Randomised trial of 549 college students in the USA · vs students who only filled in surveys · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

The study

Who took part

549 students at a public university in the US Midwest, about 22 years old on average. About 4 in 10 were men.

What they did

One group got an email link to a single online lesson of about 20 minutes. It gave each student a personal sleep profile, two videos on good sleep habits, and tips on sleep and studying. The other group only filled in the same surveys.

What happened

Eight weeks later, about 24 in 100 students with the lesson said their sleep was more regular, against 17 in 100. About 16 in 100 woke up earlier on weekdays, against 9 in 100. Bedtimes and weekend wake times did not change more than in the other group. One number in the paper's summary does not match its table.

Source

The Impact of a Randomized Sleep Education Intervention for College Students (2018)

DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.6974

Tools in this study

Action4
Learn how the problem works
Psychoeducation about procrastination, habits, sleep, routines or ADHD.
Rule · how6
Get feedback on your progress
Feedback from a person, app or device on progress.
Action
Practise healthier sleep habits
Sleep-related habits in general.
Rule · how2
Through an online programme
Delivered as an online course or programme.
Rule · how much
In a single session
Delivered in one session.
Action
Go to bed
Bedtime as the target behaviour.