0134 Project Tech: The Impact of Technology Usage on Sleep in College Students

Abstract

Introduction: More than 60% of college students are categorized as poor‐quality sleepers, which negatively impacts not only physical and psychological health, but academic performance as well. Technology is increasingly becoming a necessity for college students in almost all aspects of life such as work, school, and social life. Based on recent correlational research, it has been suggested that technology use has a negative impact on sleep quality and quantity. Project Tech is a 4‐week intervention designed to improve sleep quality and quantity through the use of sleep hygiene and stimulus control, and, more specifically, by eliminating technology use in bed and before bedtime. Methods: Data are being collected from a sample of 60 students from a large Midwestern university. Participants are randomized into a control condition including sleep hygiene, and stimulus control protocol or and intervention condition including sleep hygiene, stimulus control, and technology stimulus control (do not use any technology while in bed throughout the day and do not use any technology within 30 minutes of going to bed). In person assessments of sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, stress, pre‐sleep arousal, and technology use are assessed using validated self‐report questionnaires pre‐ and post‐ intervention. Data collection is expected to be completed in February 2019. Results: Repeated‐measures ANOVAs will be conducted in Spring 2019 to examine the effectiveness of the intervention on sleep hygiene, sleep incompatible behaviors, sleep quality, sleep quantity, insomnia symptoms, stimulus control, technology use, and pre‐sleep arousal. Conclusion: If significant, the results would suggest that sleep hygiene and stimulus control tips should incorporate technology use in bed and before bedtime to improve sleep, especially among college students.