
Students Present Sleep Hygiene Study
Students Present Sleep Hygiene Study
Tweddle recently had the pleasure of providing placement for ACU Occupational Therapy students Eleanor Barry and Amelia Ford.
At the completion of their placement they presented a Sleep Hygiene project to staff. Their research and presentation was excellent and confirmed how sleep was vital to the mental health and functioning of parents, babies, toddlers and children.
Amelia and Eleanor shared strategies to promoting good quality sleep and the benefits. They explained how sleep strengthened the immune system, lowered the risk for serious health conditions and improved problem solving, attention and memory. Importantly for the many sleep deprived parents that attend a Tweddle program, their findings showed improved sleep supported good mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The students explored common barriers to sleep and the impact of sleep deprivation. Impacts included overeating, mood changes, a weakened immune system, fatigue and low motivation. Difficulties with thinking, memory and decision making are also challenges linked with lack of sleep.
Their findings covered factors in getting a good night’s sleep and included environmental factors like noise, temperature and lighting.
Eleanor and Amelia made some great recommendations and strategies to help parents get a better night sleep. They suggested reserving a “worry period” before going to bed, and writing thoughts in a notebook.
Other suggestions were to try to do something to relax your mind before bed e.g progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and listening to calming music. It was suggested that exercise was avoided at bedtime and instead to try gentle stretching or yoga.
Knowing that lack of sleep, exhaustion and fatigue are linked to stress, anxiety and depression, the students recommended health support services like Tweddle, COPE, PANDA, Parentline, and the Maternal and Child Healthline
Tweddle partners with various universities to provide student placements. Universities include RMIT, La Trobe, ACU, Monash and Deakin.
Student qualifications include Maternal & Child Health Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Paramedicine, Art Therapy and Psychology.
Students have worked on a range of projects which provide family friendly information for residential parents, carers and children. Projects have covered community facilities, seasonal and sensory play, baby food and nutrition, family violence and staff identification projects.
For more information about student placement contact students@tweddle.org.au

Archives
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017