The First Sleep Health Program For First Nations Adolescents Could Change Lives
Adolescence is a delicate stage of life where independence, changing social roles, increased screen time, academic pressure, and significant biological changes can lead to emotional and behavioral problems.
Today's generation of teenagers suffers from chronic sleep deprivation and is unfortunately the sleepiest in human history.
Adolescents often report sleep problems, irregular sleep hours, short sleep duration, and poor sleep quality. These problems can lead to problems with emotional regulation, risky behavior, and dropping out of school. In the long term, lack of sleep can lead to obesity, health problems (including diabetes), mental health problems, and risky behaviors.
The issue of lack of sleep and its impact on the results of life deserves particular attention among adolescents of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, who have disproportionate results in terms of health care, "Education.
bad sleep
Ongoing exposure to colonialism, intergenerational trauma and other social determinants of health increase the vulnerability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents to sleep deprivation. Although some problems with sleep deprivation are temporary, constant exposure to racism, discrimination, overcrowding, and lack of safe places to sleep can lead to chronic sleep problems.
Information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sleep status is limited. However, some research shows that one in three young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people suffer from sleep disorders at significantly higher rates than their non-Aboriginal peers.
The impact of sleep deprivation on the life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people is a major concern for community members, service providers and policy makers.
Despite this, services that support sleep health are not available in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This may be because, while the need for healthy sleep is universal, the importance of healthy sleep is determined by cultural and social factors. These include co-sleeping, apartment living, or dream homes.
Traditional programs that do not incorporate health principles and cultural knowledge have limited effectiveness in promoting sleep health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. But new software could change that.
Collaborative approach
Let's Talk Sleep is Australia's first healthy sleep program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teenagers and was developed collaboratively in response to the needs of the Mt Isa community in Queensland.
Community members have publicly expressed their desire to harness the potential of sleep as part of efforts to improve health outcomes, reduce youth exposure to the criminal justice system, and increase school participation. Community engagement also highlighted the need to strengthen local sleep services and train Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'sleep coaches'.
Co-development and evaluation of the program included consultation with over 200 community members, integrating traditional and Western knowledge about sleep health and providing ideas for improving sleep.
The 10-week program included prenatal and postpartum data collection, including questionnaires, a sleep diary, and a strip (a noninvasive way to monitor a person's periods of rest and activity).
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What is included in the program?
The program empowers youth to set healthy sleep goals and work with coaches to achieve them. At the beginning of the program, participants define the collective and individual goals they want to achieve.
The group's goal is to make healthy sleep a priority. For example, group members agree not to use their phones after 10:00 p.m. Individual goals are intended to respond to personal circumstances. So personal goals include eliminating waste or going to bed at least 30 minutes earlier.
While the primary goal of the program is to increase participants' knowledge, understanding, and awareness of sleep health, the primary goal is to help participants develop sustainable healthy sleep practices (healthy habits for a good night's sleep). During the program, participants learn about sleep hygiene practices such as maintaining a set bedtime, minimizing screen time, and local bedtime relaxation practices.
The project also led to the training of two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia's first Aboriginal sleep coaches. Since then, medical staff at the local community-run health agency and hospital have expressed interest in learning these skills.
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What happens as a result of good sleep?
Currently, 35 young people have participated in the program, 13 of them have graduated. This program is also integrated with the local high school's Developing Leaders program.
Project data shows that the majority of program participants stayed late at night. However, participants achieved their goals and believe the program gave them tools to improve their sleep. The project was supported by older people, parents, carers, service providers and young people.
The project team and community members are working together to develop a healthy sleep program for adults and expand the youth sleep program to other communities.
Mt Isa Calcadon resident Roslyn von Sinden, who is training to be a sleep coach, spoke of the cultural significance of the programme.
Dreams are an important part of our lives, a way to communicate with our ancestors, be guided by them, predict events, communicate with others and get inspiration and ideas to express our talents. Sleep deprivation robs us of our ability to connect with our culture, our ancestors, and the traditional guardians of the world's oldest surviving culture.
While the original project was funded by the Future Foundation for Medical Research and focused on Mount Isa, additional funding from the National Medical and Health Research Council and industry partner Beyond Blue is supporting the project in other remote areas.
The resulting sleep health social movement aims to harness the untapped potential of sleep health to improve academic and athletic performance, reduce crime, improve health outcomes and empower Aboriginal and Strait Islander youth.
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