STUDY:
Universities of Essex and Sussex

Understanding sleep and mental health: An online survey

The Universities of Essex and Sussex are looking to better understand how your heart and your sleep-wake cycle relates to mental wellbeing.

The purpose of this study is to collect information on your sleep habits, lifestyle, working patterns, and aspects of your mental health. In particular, they are interested in experiences of dissociation - a feeling of being disconnected from the world or yourself. On the basis of this information and your interest they will be inviting some people to participate in a follow-up study for 4 weeks where they will monitor your sleep, activity and heart rate with a Garmin wristwatch that they will provide. The electrical activity of your heart, as well as the light levels around you may also be measured using wearable devices. Each day during this study you’ll be asked to answer 2 short questionnaires via your smartphone.

Please note that you can still take part in the initial survey even if you aren’t interested in the follow-up study. The data collected in this study are not be used a diagnostic tool for mental or physical health conditions.

To find out more information, you can watch the recruitment video here.

Everyone that completes this survey will be entered into four £50 draws. Participating will benefit their understanding of the links between peoples’ sleep, heart and mental health. This study provides a unique opportunity to better understand the role of these factors in feeling of dissociation, a particularly under-researched area. By taking part, you may be offered the chance to take part in a follow-up study where you may be paid up to £175.

This project has been reviewed on behalf of the University of Essex Ethics Committee, and had been given approval with the following Application ID: ETH2425-1798 (Version 1).