Promoting teen sleep – short- and long-term effects on mental well-being

Research problem and specific questionsAn increasing amount of teenagers are sleeping too little on school nights. In the short term, mental health as well as school performancesare affected. Further, it increases the risk of leaving school without approved grades and developing long-term health problems.

It is therefore vital to buck this trend.

The overall aim of this project is to advance our knowledge of effectiveness of two sleep promoting school-based programs (high- and low-intensity) in grade 7-8 which have the potential to prevent future depression.Does a school-based sleep intervention delivered at the classroom level on five occasions affect sleep length, perceived quality of sleep, and mental health?

Are effects maintained at 1-year follow-up?Does pre-bedtime mobile-stop affect sleep duration, perceived sleep quality, and mental health? Are effects maintained at 1-year follow-up?Which program is most effective? We will compare the high vs low intensity program using the RE-AIM framework.

Data and methodStudy design: Cluster randomized trial.Schools will be randomized to 1) Sleep curriculum, 2) Pre-bedtime mobile-stop, 3) control group.Students in grade 7-8 (age 13-15-years) will be invited to participate in the study.All classes in years 7 and 8 are randomized at the school level to intervention or control, so-called cluster randomization.

Conclusions about differences or effects are then drawn at the cluster level and not at the individual level.

All students are asked about participation in the study, and for those who agree to participate, written informed consent from students and guardians is obtained.Plan for project realisationTwo municipalities (Piteå and Kumla) have already agreed to participate in the project.

Discussions on potential participation are conducted with other municipalities (Örebro, Lund, Kristianstad and Hässleholm).

RelevanceThe project is important as it provides new and specific knowledge about the effects of sleep-promoting interventions on teenagers´ sleep habits and sleep problems, which can guide school health care work and have the potential to prevent negative consequences for students.