From barriers to benefits: A personalized sleep intervention enhances sleep duration and emotional health in chronic short sleepers

Abstract

This pilot study evaluated a personalized sleep intervention incorporating motivational interviewing techniques to address sleep barriers, along with tailored sleep hygiene and extension for chronic short sleepers. Eleven university students completed a 14-day sequential intervention (baseline, sleep hygiene and a combined phase adding 90-min extension), assessed via actigraphy, daily diaries, ecological momentary assessments and qualitative interviews. The intervention was highly feasible. Total sleep time increased from 5.01 h (baseline) to 5.62 h (sleep hygiene) and 6.67 h (combined phase), alongside reduced bedtime procrastination and improved sleep hygiene practices. Multilevel modelling suggested that sleep hygiene increased time in bed (+0.72 h) and morning vitality, while sleep extension further extended time in bed (+1.49 h) and total sleep time (+0.55 h). Emotional benefits were linked to within-person increases in sleep duration. Qualitative findings highlighted heterogeneous barriers and the importance of context-based personalization. These preliminary results support the potential of personalized sleep interventions to improve sleep and emotional health in chronic short sleepers, warranting further controlled trials.