Evaluating School Programs to Improve Teen Sleep and Mental Health in Sweden

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating two school-based programs designed to improve sleep among teenagers aged 13 to 19 in Swedish high schools and upper secondary schools. The goal is to promote better sleep habits and prevent future depressive symptoms, addressing common issues such as mental health challenges, concentration problems, and lower academic performance linked to insufficient sleep. The study compares two interventions with usual teaching methods. The first program, Sleep on Schedule, involves five lessons over five weeks focusing on sleep knowledge, good routines, time management, and behavioral exercises delivered by school staff. The second program, Technology restriction, includes two lessons over two weeks encouraging students to limit electronic media use before bedtime. Schools are randomly assigned to one of these programs or to a control group receiving no intervention. Participants will complete questionnaires on sleep habits, mental health, and motivation at baseline, three months, and one year. Selected students will wear wrist actigraphs to monitor sleep objectively. The study measures changes in sleep duration as the primary outcome, along with assessments of anxiety, depression, sleep hygiene, insomnia severity, and electronic media use. The project spans from initial lessons through follow-up assessments, aiming to benefit students by teaching preventive sleep strategies.

Promoting Teenage Sleep for Improved Mental Health and School Performance