1206 EVALUATION OF A SLEEP HEALTH INTERVENTION IN STUDENT ATHLETES: INSIGHTS FOR INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Introduction: Student athletes are at high risk of sleep problems, perhaps due to over-scheduling and difficulty balancing academics and athletics. To address this, a pilot intervention that focused on education and tracking was implemented. This program was evaluated to determine (1) what did participants learn from the educational content, and (2) what elements of the intervention were most helpful. Method(s): A pilot sleep health intervention was conducted across the Fall 2016 semester among student athletes. It included an intake survey, education session, 10 weeks of tracking (sleep diary, sleep/fitness tracker, and daily text message reminders), 24/7 access to support, a weekly drawing providing financial incentive for adherence, and a follow- up survey. N=40 students were enrolled, though N=35 have yet completed. Participants were asked to evaluate the helpfulness of various components of the survey (0=10 scale, >5="helpful"). Also, participants were asked whether they learned from the intervention, rated on a scale of 0-4. Responses >=3 ("a lot" or "very much") were coded as "learned a lot." Results: Eighty-nine percent reported benefit from the educational session (basic sleep knowledge and sleep tips were equally helpful). Only 29% found the daily text messages helpful, 54% found the 24/7 access helpful, 43% found the sleep diary helpful, 80% found the sleep/fitness tracker helpful, and 83% found the financial incentive helpful. Seventy-four percent reported that they learned a lot about the importance of sleep, 86% each about how sleep affects daytime functioning, athletic performance, and mental health, 60% about how to tell if they are sleepy, 80% about their own sleep patterns, and 77% about how their sleep affects daytime function. Conclusion(s): Respondents found many elements helpful, especially the educational content, sleep/fitness tracker, and financial incentive. Participants reported learning a lot about sleep in general, how it affects performance, and how this relates to their own sleep patterns.