Sleep Innovation and Technology: Improving Community Access to Evidence-based, Real-time, Adaptive Intervention using Commercial Smartwatches to Improve Sleep Quality
Prof. Fiona Ho
Sleep is widely recognised as an important contributor to lifestyle-related physical and mental health. Most sleep problems develop from a long trajectory of problematic sleep routines, cognition, and behaviours, which are difficult to alter. With approximately 6%-15% of the world’s population suffers from it, insomnia is a significant public health concern.
The issue
Locally, a recent Hong Kong survey revealed that 30-40% reported worsened sleep since the COVID-19 pandemic. As a developed urban city, Hong Kong faces major shifts in sleep behaviours accompanied by modernisation and technological advances where individuals tend to prioritise employment and finances over adequate sleep.
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Regarding insomnia treatment, to reduce adverse side effects such as drug dependence and tolerance brought on by pharmacological interventions for insomnia, non-pharmacological interventions such as evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is gaining popularity. CBT-I has been recognised as the first-line option for the treatment of insomnia according to American and European Guidelines, whereas its efficacy, safety, and acceptability have been demonstrated in the general population in Hong Kong.
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Nonetheless, the scalability of CBT-I remains limited locally due to the well-documented shortage of therapists and uncertain financial return on investment for insomnia treatments.
The solution
We will develop an integrated system, in the form of a mobile app connected with a therapist platform (optional) that targets two populations in the community – (1) people who want to improve their sleep quality and health and (2) insomniacs who want to reduce their sleep problems. The integrated system will comprise:
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The sleep health app. This self-help app will provide tailor-made personal evidence-based CBT-I treatment by capturing users’ real-time self-report sleep data, such as daily sleep diaries and assessments at different timepoints of the day, enabling self-monitoring and timely feedback for enhancing intervention adherence and effects.
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The therapist platform. An optional therapist platform will be added to the system for healthcare providers (e.g., mental health professionals). With the capacity to provide personalised sleep advice and allow digital monitoring, the therapists could intensively monitor the progress of the users’ sleep-related behaviours and symptoms with higher flexibility, further enhancing therapeutic effects.
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Beneficiaries
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Community
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Individuals who wish to improve sleep quality and mental health and those with insomnia problems
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Mental health professionals (e.g., clinical psychologists and psychiatrists)
Social Impact
Insomnia is often comorbid with other mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. Individuals who receive sleep interventions can potentially manage both sleep and mood problems at the same time. Our goal is to improve sleep disturbances and general psychological wellbeing in the community in the long run.
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​Leveraging innovative sleep technologies to support real-time and real-world sleep interventions, our integrated system provides the flexibility to overcome help-seeking barriers such as stigmatisation, inflexible working hours, high cost, and geological reasons. The platform serves people embedded in the community to improve the currently suboptimal accessibility to evidence-based sleep interventions in Hong Kong.
Project Team
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PROF FIONA HO
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
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Supported by
Knowledge Transfer Fund 2018/19