REFRESH Program for Insomnia

REFRESH is an 8-week sleep-health program for college students.  This program was developed by Mickey Trockel, MD, PhD and Rachel Manber, PhD. in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. This program is based on effective strategies for improving poor sleep quality.  

We’re delighted to offer these self guided educational modules to UCSB students. This educational program is not a treatment program and should not be applied as a substitute for clinical treatment. It does offer helpful strategies to support students who desire to improve sleep. 
 

 

Pre-Survey

 Refresh Modules LINK

Post Survey

3 Elements of Strong Sleep

Insert description here

 

 Sleep Drive

 Circadian Rhythm

Hyper Arousal

General Sleep Education

 

Building Block 1: The Big Picture:  Your body’s sleep operating manual- sort of…

  • Falling asleep: Storyform- integrates concepts of sleep drive, circadian rhythm, & arousal-how our body stays awake for survival and conditions that help us sleep at night.
  • Sleep drive can be thought of as 'pressure’ for sleep that builds up throughout the day from the time that you wake up and wanes after sleep needs are met.  A strong sleep drive helps you fall and remain asleep throughout the night.  Optimally, sleep drive is weakest after you wake up and strongest as you get closer to bedtime.  
  • Incorporate Bedtime Routines here
  • Our sleep system is interwoven with and paired with the natural environment, with daylight cueing “the wake system” and dimming of light cueing our bodies for rest. 

 

Building Block 2: Meeting your sleep needs 

  • Developmental sleep needs- how sleep changes over time from infancy through adulthood (You are here map concept)- average number of hours of sleep adults need
  • Daytime sleepiness module
  • Split sleep
  • Short sleepers?

 

Daytime Sleepiness

Building Block 3: Circadian rhythm 

  • Night owls & early birds
  • Social groups & social jet lag
  • Night shift, swing shift
  • Travel & Jet Lag

 

Naps

Building Block 4: Arousal, falling asleep and sleep effort

  • Sleep, hormones & menstrual cycle: a developmental and lifespan perspective
  • Sleep deprivation: all nighters, late nights, and duties that keep us up despite our body’s needs (ex: army sleep tactics for sustained operations) > incorporate sleep debt, mood, memory & learning modules content here. Also, reference caffeine & its effect on masking sleep debt.
  • Can’t fall asleep module here : include Electronics  module before bed and at night when you can’t sleep
  • Relaxation Strategies: Incorporate meditation module here
  • Time Management module

 

Mood

memory and learning module

Can't Fall Asleep?

Electronics

Building Block  5: Your sleep environment: sleep architecture, noise, community/group housing   > incorporate bedroom environment module content here. 

  • Sleep architecture: lighter stages of sleep
  • Permeability of sounds, scents, etc. during different stages of sleep- when they are integrated into dreams and when wakes you up-
  • First night effects, trauma and hemispheric sleep
  • Health equity: loud noises, compromised safety (neighborhoods)
  • Tips for large group living: noise machines, nature sounds, etc. 
  • Sex & relationships module here

 

Sex and Close Relationships

Building Block 6: Substances & sleep 

  • incorporate Alcohol & Marijuana module
  • Sleep Enhancers module 
  • Caffeine & Nicotine modules 

 

Alcohol and Marijuana

Sleep Enhancers

Caffeine and Nicotine

More about Sleep: 

  • Physical Activity module
  • Food Module here: Late night and middle of the night snacks
  • Sleep & health module
  • Dreaming module
  • Your pets (and other animals) and sleep

 

Physical Activity

Food

Sleep and Health

Add Dreaming Module Here