Designing Adolescent Sleep Research

Why are we running this study?

Sleep plays a huge role in how we feel, think, and function every day. However, with so many of us using phones, tablets, and laptops late into the night, our sleep is being affected—leading to later bedtimes, lower sleep quality, and potential impacts on mental health.

At the same time, wearable devices and phone apps that track sleep are becoming more common, offering new ways to measure sleep outside of a lab. But how well do these devices actually work? And what’s the best way to collect reliable sleep data from young people like you?

This study aims to find out how we can best measure sleep in young people, making future sleep research easier, more accurate, and more relevant to the real world.

If you're interested in contributing to our 'Designing Adolescent Sleep Research' study, please find more information on our Workshop Page.

What is this study on sleep looking to answer? 

This study is exploring the following questions:

• What are young people’s thoughts on sleep-tracking devices, and what would make them more likely to take part in sleep research?
• How can we use sleep data from different devices (Fitbits, smartwatches, and phone apps) to make sure it’s accurate and useful for research?
• What should future research focus on when studying the link between digital technology use, sleep, and mental health?

What will this study aim to do?

This study is working with young people to develop better ways to measure sleep in research, through 3 different streams of work.

1. Understanding perceptions of Fitbits and the SCAMP Activity Tracker study:

• Running focus groups with young people who have used Fitbits for sleep tracking before, to learn from their experiences
• Sharing experiences of wearing a Fitbit and using the Fitbit App
• Understanding perceptions of using a Fitbit from young people, their peers and family members

2. Designing adolescent sleep research

• Hosting workshops where participants will test different sleep-tracking devices, give feedback, and help design future research.
• Discuss experiences using sleep-tracking devices and how to harmonise the sleep measurements from the different devices
• Develop relevant research questions to study sleep behaviours in young adults

3. Developing methods to process sleep data

• We will develop methods to process sleep data from different devices, making it easier to study sleep accurately and at a large scale

By taking part, young people will help improve the way sleep is studied, ensuring that future research is designed with their needs and preferences in mind.

What can young people taking part expect from us? 

This research will help improve how sleep is studied and understood, particularly in young people. By learning more about how digital technology use affects sleep—and how best to measure sleep using wearable devices and phone apps—we can find better ways to support young people’s sleep and mental health.

Your input will help shape future research and ensure that sleep studies are designed in a way that works for young people. The findings could contribute to better sleep advice, improved sleep-tracking technology, and recommendations for reducing the impact of screen time on sleep.

Through focus groups and workshops, participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences, test new ideas, and directly influence how researchers study sleep in the future.

Further information

Designing adolescent sleep research: Workshop Participant information sheet

Perceptions of the SCAMP Activity Tracker Study: focus group participant information sheet

Designing adolescent sleep research: Workshop sign up form

Funded by the Huo Family Foundation