Other Titles
Effects of Digital Sleep Interventions on Sleep among College Students and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [Poster Title]
Abstract
Background: College students and young adults (aged 18 to 25) frequently experience poor sleep quality, with insomnia being particularly prevalent in this population. Given the widespread use of digital devices, electronic device-based sleep interventions may provide a promising solution for improving sleep outcomes. However, the effects of these digital interventions on sleep in this group have not been fully evaluated. This study aims to review the current evidence on the effectiveness of electronic device-based interventions in enhancing sleep outcomes among college students and young adults.
Methods: A comprehensive search of five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science) was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on digital sleep interventions from the inception of each database inception to October 2024. Studies were included if they involved digital interventions targeting sleep in college students or young adults and measured sleep outcomes. The primary outcome was subjective sleep quality, while the secondary outcome was insomnia severity. Hedges' g and the associated 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model to obtain the pooled estimates of post-intervention and follow-up effects of digital sleep interventions. Heterogeneity was explored using I2 statistics, with subgroup analyses conducted to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. Data were analyzed with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software version 3.7.
Results: Thirteen studies involving 5,251 participants were included, with the majority being female (69.55 %), and an average age of 23.58 years. Digital sleep interventions showed significant post-intervention effects on subjective sleep quality (Hedges' g= -1.249; 95% CI= -1.834, -0.664) and insomnia severity (Hedges' g= -4.082; 95% CI= -5.141, -3.022). Significant follow-up effects were also observed for subjective sleep quality (Hedges' g= -0.532; 95% CI= -0.956, -0.107) and insomnia severity (Hedges' g=-2.649; 95% CI= -3.888, -1.409).
Conclusion: Current evidence strongly supports the effectiveness of digital sleep interventions in improving subjective sleep quality and insomnia severity among college students and young adults. Digital sleep interventions provide a simple and affordable option compared to traditional sleep treatments, helping individuals cultivate better sleep habit.
Notes
References:
Jiang, X. L., Zheng, X. Y., Yang, J., Ye, C. P., Chen, Y. Y., Zhang, Z. G., & Xiao, Z. J. (2015). A systematic review of studies on the prevalence of insomnia in university students. Public Health, 129 (12), 1579-1584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2015.07.030
Kocevska, D., Lysen, T. S., Dotinga, A., Koopman-Verhoeff, M. E., Luijk, M. P., Antypa. N., …Tiemeier, H. (2021). Sleep characteristics across the lifespan in 1.1 million people from The Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nature Human Behaviour, 5 (1), 113-122. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-00965-x
Kulturministeriet. (2021). Internetbrug og sociale medier 2021. Available from
https://kum.dk/kulturomraader/medier/mediernes-udvikling/publikationer/internetbrug-og-sociale-medier-2021
Saruhanjan, K., Zarski, A. C., Bauer, T., Baumeister, H., Cuijpers, P., Spiegelhalder, K., …Ebert, D. D. (2021). Psychological interventions to improve sleep in college students: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Sleep Research, 30 (1), e13097. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13097
Sivertsen, B., Vedaa, Ø., Harvey, A. G., Glozier, N., Pallesen, S., Aarø, L. E., … Hysing, M. (2019). Sleep patterns and insomnia in young adults: A national survey of Norwegian university students. Journal of Sleep Research, 28 (2), e12790. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12790
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Meta-Analysis/Synthesis
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Sleep Quality, Digital Interventions, College Students, Young Adults
Recommended Citation
Lu, Yi-An and Tsai, Pei-Shan, "Effects of Digital Interventions on Sleep Among College Students and Young Adults: A Meta-Analysis" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 46.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/46
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Effects of Digital Interventions on Sleep Among College Students and Young Adults: A Meta-Analysis
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: College students and young adults (aged 18 to 25) frequently experience poor sleep quality, with insomnia being particularly prevalent in this population. Given the widespread use of digital devices, electronic device-based sleep interventions may provide a promising solution for improving sleep outcomes. However, the effects of these digital interventions on sleep in this group have not been fully evaluated. This study aims to review the current evidence on the effectiveness of electronic device-based interventions in enhancing sleep outcomes among college students and young adults.
Methods: A comprehensive search of five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science) was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on digital sleep interventions from the inception of each database inception to October 2024. Studies were included if they involved digital interventions targeting sleep in college students or young adults and measured sleep outcomes. The primary outcome was subjective sleep quality, while the secondary outcome was insomnia severity. Hedges' g and the associated 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model to obtain the pooled estimates of post-intervention and follow-up effects of digital sleep interventions. Heterogeneity was explored using I2 statistics, with subgroup analyses conducted to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. Data were analyzed with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software version 3.7.
Results: Thirteen studies involving 5,251 participants were included, with the majority being female (69.55 %), and an average age of 23.58 years. Digital sleep interventions showed significant post-intervention effects on subjective sleep quality (Hedges' g= -1.249; 95% CI= -1.834, -0.664) and insomnia severity (Hedges' g= -4.082; 95% CI= -5.141, -3.022). Significant follow-up effects were also observed for subjective sleep quality (Hedges' g= -0.532; 95% CI= -0.956, -0.107) and insomnia severity (Hedges' g=-2.649; 95% CI= -3.888, -1.409).
Conclusion: Current evidence strongly supports the effectiveness of digital sleep interventions in improving subjective sleep quality and insomnia severity among college students and young adults. Digital sleep interventions provide a simple and affordable option compared to traditional sleep treatments, helping individuals cultivate better sleep habit.
Description
College students and young adults (aged 18 to 25) often suffer from poor sleep quality, with insomnia being a common issue. Given the widespread use of digital devices, electronic device-based interventions may offer a promising approach to improve sleep outcomes. However, the effectiveness of these interventions has not been thoroughly evaluated in this population. This study reviews current evidence on the impact of digital sleep interventions among college students and young adults.