Early in the term, you maintained a sleep log and completed the Epworth, RU-SATED, and Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaires.
Now, based upon all of the learning you’ve had in the class so far, look back at those rating scales and sleep log and determine where your sleep could be improved. If you don’t need to make any improvements, think about what you’re doing that’s working for you and the most important components of your sleep program you want to keep intact.
Next, use the Action Plan to help you analyze your sleep data. Fill out the action plan and answer the questions; the action plan will help you look at all aspects of your sleep that you could improve.
Then, make some changes in your sleep that will be helpful. You know so much about sleep now that you shouldn’t have any difficulty making some powerful changes, such as waking up within a two-hour window each day; or using blackout curtains or an eye mask in the light hours; or limiting the amount and timing of caffeine, etc. Again, see the action plan for many more ideas. And reflect upon our learning in class, particularly on sleep debt (to motivate you to make these changes), circadian rhythm (to consider your “best” functioning times and how to maximize them), sleep physiology (to think about how you manage eating times and temperature control), and sleep hygiene (to help with everything else).
Students will maintain a sleep log for two weeks of the course using a standardized sleep log. Students will also study their sleep by completing the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, RU-SATED, and the Morningness/Eveningness Chronotype Questionnaire. Based upon the data gathered from their sleep logs, RU-SATED, Epworth, and Morningness/Eveningness rating scales, students will first analyze their sleep data and reflect upon their observations. Students will then engage in a one-week experiment, implementing a sleep improvement program, following evidence-based parameters (as reviewed in lecture) and based upon the data they have gathered about their own sleep. During this week of sleep improvement, students will record another sleep log. Students will also record another Epworth Sleepiness Scale, RU-SATED, and Morningness/Eveningness Chronotype Questionnaire upon completion of that week (the end of their sleep improvement program week). Students will then write a 5 – 7 page, double-spaced paper in which they measure the effectiveness and outcomes of the sleep improvement program, which will be submitted along with: (1) the initial sleep log; (2) the follow-up sleep log (which reflects the one-week sleep improvement program); (3) a pre- and post-Epworth scale; (4) a pre- and post- RU-SATED scale; and (5) a pre- and post-Morningness/Eveningness Chronotype Questionnaire.
(I am attaching my Action plan, pre-Epworth scale, pre-RU-SATED scale, and pre-Morningness/Eveningness Chronotype Questionnaire).
